Child Of Destiny
by Eyes like Dawn
Summary: Vanessa's life has always been a strange thing. Raised as a slave to Sylvanas Windrunner. And being a very powerful paladin. Follow Vanessa as her life takes some unbelievable turns.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Warcraft. It all belongs to Blizzard

This is kind of my first serious fanfic. Im not very good at writing anway. Judge tenderly of me ._. Read and review. I am not afraid of helpful critisism. And also, some cahpter will be long other terribly short. Cause I roll like that...

Darion Morgrain stood atop the Scarlet Monastery steeple. He ignored the chill wind that made goose bumps rise on his flesh, his eyes stapled to a tiny yellow dot in the distance. A few seconds later another appeared, then another, and another, until it seemed the whole expanse was covered in the oddly dismal torch light.

"The Forsaken approach, my Lord." High cleric Anise Whitemane stated quietly as she materialized from a dark corner of the steeple to stand beside Darion.

If she was cold in her revealing cleric's garb of red, she showed no hint of it to the commander.

Darion turned to Anise, flashing her rare smile through his reddish beard. "The light protects those who are devout, My Lady. Let them come, we will wipe them off the face of Azeroth."

"What does the Dark Lady think she will gain by sending another attack force to bash their bones upon our walls?" Anise asked.

He returned to his stalwart vigil, losing his grin. "They attempt to rattle us, make deserters out of our forces, and hope that inch by inch they will defeat us. But here we stand, strong and defiant against that witch. However their numbers are strong, there is a chance they could breech us before our imminent victory. Is the girl safe?"

"Yes, My Lord," Anise replied solemnly.

"Good," Darion nodded. A look out horn sounded, and even from the steeple he could hear his forces rushing for weapons and armor. "Attend to our forces, Anise. I will be in the cathedral awaiting word of your success against the invaders."

Anise saluted briskly, leaving the steeple as quietly as she had come. Once again, Darion stared at the yellow light, now a bit brighter as they approached. He couldn't help but laugh. "Come to your doom, fools. Many have tried none have succeeded. What chance do you have with your pathetic attack force?"

Spitting in disgust, Darion turned to the stairs, failing to notice even more lights illuminating the night.

Hundreds of Forsaken, along with a few of their allies, marched to the Scarlet Monastery, Sylvanas heading the assault. The Dark Lady rode at an easy pace on her charger, Brimstone. A Worgen hide cloak fluttered in the breeze as well as tousling her silvery black hair. Her bow lay by her side, and her quiver bristling with arrows. Once and for all, Sylvanas had determined, the Crusade had to be driven out of her lands. Their attacks grew bolder every year, as did their forces. Surely that imbecile, Darion, thought this another failed attack to keep them on their toes. Not a full scale invasion.

Commander Kenton, her second in command walked dutifully beside her charger, gray straggly hair fell to his shoulder, he had thankfully kept most of his flesh so that he still appeared somewhat of his former self. His shield that was hanging on his back looked like it was almost over taking his form, but anyone who had ever fought beside the quick witted warrior knew he was a force to be reckoned with.

As they neared the trail leading to the monastery, two scouts appeared on either side of the path. Their bright red tabards looked dull and old in the torch light. One brought forth a whistle, putting it to his shaking lips. One harsh flat note escaped the whistle before Sylvanas placed an arrow in his forehead. He crumpled to the ground in a bloody heap, as the other scout stood there in shock.

"And do you plan on wasting your life as well?" Sylvanas asked in amused tones.

Another harsh shriek rent the air and Sylvanas shot him as well. She smirked, spurring Brimstone to a trot once more. "Kenton, search that man for some sort of identification. Then taken to Brill for reanimation. I want him commended for his bravery, stupid as it was. We need more soldiers like him."

Kenton bowed lowly, slipping out of the precision ranks that marched along side the Dark Lady.

As the monastery came into view, Sylvanas raised a hand. The troops stopped simultaneously, waiting for her word. She turned to them, looking commanding and regal in her own post humus way.

"Today, we strike a mortal blow to the self righteous Scarlet Crusade. Years of their forces killing us for something that we cannot help. But we show today, we will not be trifled with! We will walk upon their monastery, kill the crusaders, take their treasures, and burn their homes!" Sylvanas yelled out, raising her bow to the starry heavens.

Many raised their preferred weapons, as well, shouting out their battle cries as the assault on the Scarlet Monastery began.

Sylvanas spurred Brimstone to a dead run her bow humming its murderous tune against crusaders. Brimstone fearlessly plowed into their ranks, his eyes blood red, neighing out his own cry, killing crusaders under his hooves. As the Forsaken reached the path way leading into the monastery, Sylvanas leapt off Brimstone, her daggers brandished as she carved a path through the humans to the vestibule that led into the monastery. The bodies littered the cold stone, plate and leather drenched in blood. These first forces hadn't stood a chance against the Horde of enemies that had washed over them in a murderous wave.

"Kenton, Muller, Tedin, to me." Sylvanas ordered.

The three commanders rushed up, their yellow eyes dancing with battle lust. Kneeling down, Sylvanas scrawled a crude map in the blood with one of her arrows, dictating her commands as she did so. "Muller, you will take your forces an assault the graveyard. Tedin, the library. I want as many books preserved and carried back to the Undercity as possible before you set the blasted place aflame. Kenton, you shall attack the armory, as with the books I want the armor preserved. I myself will penetrate the cathedral." She turned to the three commanders, smiling. "What are you all waiting for; there is blood to drink and spoils to take."

They stood up; barking orders with efficiency, the troops catching on to their eagerness adding even more excitement to the fray. Sylvanas waited till her commanders forces departed, her own looking ready for battle. She beckoned to a few goblins who had tagged along, their backs laden with dynamite. There was no need to speak, and the tiny green arsonist needed no second bidding. Stuffing the heavy oaken door with dynamite the blast shook the entire vestibule. Sylvanas walked in through the smoke, and debris, looking like a shadowy figure of death to the stunned guards.

"We make straight way for the Cathedral. Anything that gets in our way, kill it, we do not stop. If you are injured you will be left behind until this is over. Attack!" Sylvanas ordered her forces, rushing headlong into the elite guards of the Scarlet Crusade.

A multitude of candles flickered behind the huge stone altar of the light in the Scarlet Cathedral. It was the only light in the huge building, but illuminating most of the main chamber. The wax oozed on the floor in little pools or tinkled down the dais to the knees of Darion Morgrain, who knelt in posterity and prayer before the altar of the light. Sweat ran down his forehead and neck, though he relished in the intense heat the candles gave off. His prayer was the same, repeated thousands of times, 'Smite our enemies with holy fire. Let them know our cause is just.'

The monolithic doors to the cathedral creaked open slightly and Darion halted his prayer though he did not turn and rise.

"The foe have been repelled, Anise." It was not a question, Darion had all faith the forsaken had been vanquished.

"Afraid not." Sylvanas replied her leather boots sliding across the marble floor.

Darion jumped up, in surprise unsheathing his blade in the same motion. The huge double handed sword sparkled in the candle light, its golden hilt peaking through his iron grip.

Sylvanas laughed untying the head of Anise from her belt and throwing at the feet of Darion. The blood oozed across the floor, a look of shock and fear etched in the second in commands features.

"Did you think this day wasn't coming, Morgrain?" Sylvanas snorted imperiously. "I ignored this gnat called the Scarlet Crusade for far too long. You can't defeat me and you know it. It's over, lay down your weapon and lets make this quick."

Darion's mind whirled at seeing the head of the high cleric; even now he could hear cries around other parts of the monastery. How had the light not favored them against these aberrations? Had he displeased it in some way? Why hadn't the light slain them? He had acquired the 'Chosen One,' and still defeat loomed over his head.

"I can not defeat you, Sylvanas Windrunner, but rest assured the Chosen One will!"

"The Chosen One?" Sylvanas laughed. "You have finally lost it, Morgrain. Now do yourself a favor and don't make me miss."

"You will not kill me." He snarled defiantly. "I will not allow you the satisfaction."

Before Sylvanas could draw her bow back, Darion flung himself backwards unto the candles, as he plunged his sword into his belly. His cries echoed through out the empty cathedral, fire engulfing his dying form. Sylvanas watched in endless frustration, she had wanted the pleasure of killing Darion herself. But, she thought to herself with a slight smile, at least he was dead, and the Crusaders stationed in her land defeated.

The cathedral doors groaned loudly, opening fully with a dull bang as the rest of the Forsaken ran in, Kenton in the lead. He saluted her, smiling. "My Lady the other commanders have been vanquished and the spoils are beginning to be funneled out of the monastery as we speak." He gave a loud rude laugh. "And a little crusader told us exactly where the treasure is in the cathedral, after we had burned it out of him, of course."

"By all means, lead on, Kenton," Sylvanas bade.

With a few sharp orders, the second in command had his forces rig a pew as a battering ram. They charged right over the smoldering alter and slammed the wall, one good blow shattering the secret door.

Chest and troves of gold and jewels glimmered in the forsaken torchlight. Pristine enchanted armor and weapons littered the piles of treasure. More than a few jaws were dropping in shock from the forsaken ranks, and landing on the floor with sharp clacks.

"This, my faithful champions, is for you. Take as much as you desire, for your hard work." Sylvanas said proudly.

The Forsaken forces erupted into cheering at the Dark Lady's generosity. Those holding the make shift battering ram, dropped it, nearly crushing Kenton in the process. The Forsaken commander merely laughed as he watched the forces dive into the spoils. There would not truly be any disagreements about who wanted what, all were good friends here.

Sylvanas leaned back watching the spectacle in amusement. Forsaken wrapped heavy golden necklaces around their neck, sacks on their sides brimming with treasure and coin, jangling away with each step. Kenton couldn't help but laugh again, going to stand beside the Dark Lady. "Those still in the Undercity will hear us long before they see us with this entire racket."

A forsaken bent double with treasure attempted to straighten his form, but only succeeding in toppling backwards, hit his bleached skull against a torch holder. There was a soft click, and then a loud rumble as the wall began to move. Sylvanas arched an eyebrow, taking out an arrow to rest in her bow, should trouble arise.

The soldiers sobered immediately getting into formation as Sylvanas stalked warily to the room. Inside was pitch black and it smelled musty. Try as she might, Sylvanas could not penetrate the darkness.

"Light a torch," She ordered quietly.

One quickly flared to life, for a moment stunning the Dark Lady. A small girl sat in a corner of the empty room. She had to be only about five or six. The girl rubbed her eyes sleepily, the light having awakened her.

"Anise." She mumbled through a yawn.

When her eyes finally focused onto the Dark Lady, her cold hard features dancing in the torch light, she screamed. Sylvanas was just as surprised to see the girl as the girl was to see her. Upon hearing the child scream, Kenton ran inside his sword brandished. He stopped suddenly seeing the girl.

"Who is that?" Sylvanas asked her second in command.

The Dark Lady had tasked Kenton with finding out as much as possible about the monastery months before the attack. She needed to know who was this girl and why had the Crusade placed her in a secret room.

"There was rumor Darion had fathered a child, it appears to be true." Kenton replied.

"And the mother?" Sylvanas asked.

Kenton could only shrug helplessly. "I don't know. Darion protected his child well; she was only rumored to exist in the first place."

Sylvanas knelt down to the girl sheathing her bow. The child had stopped screaming but cried quietly in the corner.

"Don't be afraid, I won't harm you." Sylvanas said gently. "What's your name?"

The girl's blue, tear filled eyes, looked at Sylvanas in terror, but she managed to compose herself enough to speak. "Vanessa."

"Vanessa." Sylvanas smiled disarmingly. "A pretty name." She reached an arm out for the child. "So why was Darion trying so hard to protect y-" The Dark Lady got no further, as when she touched the girl, she was flung across the room.

"My Lady!" Kenton cried out rushing beside Sylvanas.

Sylvanas cursed lowly, getting up on her feet shakily. "I'm fine, that was my own fault though, I should have checked to see if the girl had any magic about her."

Walking to the girl slowly, Sylvanas focused trying to find the source of the magic. It was an aura, a very powerful one. "Retribution aura, supremely potent at that." Sylvanas said aloud.

Kneeling once more, she adopted the same smile. "Quite a powerful aura, you have there, Vanessa. But you need not use it against me; I am no threat to you."

She reached out far slower this time, seeing the confusion and indecision in Vanessa's eyes. She didn't know if Sylvanas was friend or foe. This time the aura didn't defend the girl, but let Sylvanas through. It might be powerful, but Sylvanas was clever enough to know the girl probably had no real knowledge on how to use it. Vanessa sniffled, rubbing her nose, looking to Sylvanas with confusion.

"What do you plan on doing with her?" Kenton asked in gutter speak.

Sylvanas could only chuckle slightly taking the girl by the hand. "That magic she unintentionally wields is very powerful, I know an advantage when I see one. Besides, I do enjoy a good spot of irony. To think, the daughter of Darion Morgrain serving his arch foe."

She looked down to the girl, who quailed in fear of the Forsaken. "You're coming to live with me now, Vanessa."

The girl tugged at Sylvanas grip attempting to use her aura once more, but Sylvanas was past Vanessa's defenses now.

"Where's my papa?" She whimpered pitifully.

"He's dead, Vanessa. He was my enemy and now he is dead." Sylvanas informed the girl gently.

"D-Dead…" Vanessa echoed in disbelief.

To Sylvanas' surprise she didn't become teary of sad. It was more akin to a quick acceptance of the fact, telling the Dark Lady Vanessa and Darion probably did not have a good relationship.

She was quiet for long minuets, trailing Sylvanas slightly. "Did you kill him?" She asked lowly.

"No." Sylvanas shook her head.

The girl was silent from then on out. A few Forsaken cast strange glances her way, but many continued with their tasks before setting the monastery ablaze. By the time, Sylvanas and Vanessa arrived outside; the monastery illuminated the night sky for miles around. The girl looked around in wonder, slightly amusing Sylvanas. "Is this your first time out of the monastery?"

"Yes." Vanessa replied timidly. "I hated it there." She adds on so quietly Sylvanas barely caught it.

Sylvanas nodded. "Good, that makes this all easier."

The pair came in sight of Brimstone, in all his horrendous glory and Vanessa cowered behind Sylvanas.

"Don't be afraid of Brimstone, he is ferocious in battle, but little else." Sylvanas laughed.

Vanessa took a wary step forward to the towering beast. Brimstone pawed the dewed grass slightly, nudging the girl with his head. She petted him gently causing the charger to snort in pleasure.

"Do you see, Vanessa, things are not always as they appear." Sylvanas smiled briefly then frowned. "Sadly, something your father never learned."

Picking up the girl, Sylvanas help her on the saddle. She was tall enough to look the Dark Lady in the eye now. Sylvanas took the girl gently by the chin forcing Vanessa to look at her.

"You are a slave now, Vanessa; do you know what that means?"

"I-I think so." She nodded slowly.

"Some how I knew you would." Sylvanas said as she mounted Brimstone.

Spurring Brimstone into a slow canter, less his sometimes break neck pace startled her knew charge, Sylvanas watched the girl in amusement as she looked around in awe of everything around her.

By the time they reached the Undercity, Vanessa had fallen sleep, her head dipping into her chest. She looked peaceful sleeping and Sylvanas was loath to wake her. She shook the girl gently as they arrived at the ruins.

"Wake, child, we've arrived."

Sylvanas dismounted Brimstone carrying the sleepy child through the Undercity. After hearing the victory of the Monastery, the Undercity was bristling with Horde of every race eager for details from the soldiers. As soon as the elevators landed at the bottom of her city, Sylvanas maneuvered her way through a back passage that led to her private quarters.

Kenton was already waiting in her study; he stood by a blazing fire, leafing over one of the books taken from the monastery.

"The Warchief has already sent emissaries demanding detailed reports on your victory, My Lady," Kenton informed her, not looking up from the book.

"I'll let that buffoon wait." Sylvanas scoffed quietly, placing the girl on a couch in the study.

The movements awoke Vanessa who sat up, trying hard to fight sleep. She seemed frightened looking at Kenton, whose rotting flesh and bone was clearly visible. He bowed to her deeply, trying to sound amicable. "Hello little Vanessa, my name is Kenton, 2nd in command to the Banshee Queen."

Sylvanas pulled Kenton aside speaking in low tones, she handed the commander a slip of parchment and he nodded dutifully slipping out. Unclasping her cloak, Sylvanas sat beside the girl gingerly. "You'll sleep here until suitable arrangements are made, Vanessa. You will also be continuing your paladin studies."

"Are you going to leave me here alone?" Vanessa asked warily, fear dancing in her eyes, something Sylvanas wished to abolish.

The dark lady shook her head, smiling kindly at the girl. "Not if you don't want me to. All of this has to be frightening for you."

Vanessa laid her head on Sylvanas' lap, surprising the Dark Lady. Sylvanas stared at the girl lovingly, smoothing her raven hair.

By the time Kenton returned to the study, both Vanessa and Sylvanas were fast asleep. Kenton simply smiled, leaving the items Sylvanas had tasked him to bring on the large worm wood desk.

"A slave indeed." Kenton chuckled quietly with a shake of his head.

It would be interesting to see, in the years to come, whom controlled whom.


	2. 13 Years Down The Road

Vanessa looked down from the Lorderan bell tower. The crumbling ruins looked like mismatched puzzle pieces from high up here. A mournful hoot from an owl and the wind chaffing a ragged piece of bell rope along the stone tower were the only sounds. Vanessa enjoyed the loneness and quiet, it gave her time to think. She wrapped the thick brown cloak around her tighter as the chill air brought another gust of its frigid breath. It always seemed to be cold in Tirisfal Glade. She wondered for a moment were all places as cold as the region.

"You know you're not allowed to come up here." A raspy voice informed the girl. Kenton finished scaling the stairs, to stand beside the paladin, his hands folded behind his back staring into the distance. "You should be in your chambers."

Vanessa sighed quietly leaning her elbows on the stone railing, her raven black hair falling freely from the cloaks hood. "I needed some time to myself and think."

"Think about what, might I ask?" Kenton asked casually.

"A little bit of everything." Vanessa shrugged. She smiled suddenly straightening her shoulders proudly. "Like becoming a true paladin. Pass the trials and take the vows to protect this world from harm, and have a blessed Libram of my own."

"A noble thing to desire." Kenton gave her an approved nod, a ghost of a smile on his black lips.

"I…I also think about what it might be like to be free…" Vanessa added quietly.

Kenton turned to her, his smile replaced by a pitting frown. "Vanessa-" He began but she raised up a hand to halt him, laughing.

"Calm yourself, Kenton, I was only wondering. You don't think I haven't before?"

Her fingers roved over the cold thin enchanted band of metal around her neck, nearly invisible in the dark, and mostly cover behind her hair that draped over her shoulders. She'd had it for as long as she could possibly remember.

"I think I would feel naked with out this collar on, anyway." She waved a hand dismissingly. "It's a stupid thing to think about. I am sorry for mentioning it."

It was now Kenton's turn to sigh, but the noise sounded odd and echoing through his bony form. "It's never foolish to think about or desire freedom, Vanessa. But remember, the Dark Lady has been a kind mistress. She did not have to let you live at all."

"I know that, Kenton." Her shoulders sunk, as she leaned against a pillar. "I will always be grateful to her for sparing my life, and giving me one, in her own court no less. But I want to see the world. I want to travel farther than Silverpine, and don't have to ask permission. Or be in by curfew."

"Which you're breaking now." Kenton reminded her.

Vanessa cast him an annoyed glare, before continuing. "I read humans are considered of age when they reach 18 or so. I don't think I minded the rules much when I was a child. But now I am near adulthood…" She shrugged again, her voice sad. "Such is the life of a slave, I suppose."

"Now that's not fair. Sylvanas has never truly treated you as such; you have far more privilege than most." Kenton argued. "She allowed you to learn and harness your abilities as a paladin. You are free to go where you please in the city. And you also have influence behind you being so close to the Dark Lady."

"Sylvanas was head of Arthas' banshee forces, a commander for the scourge in her own right. Was she still not a slave?" Vanessa rebuffed.

Kenton stared at her for long moments before giving a rude snort. "You're to smart for your own good, you know."

"My mistress taught me well." Vanessa laughed.

Kenton smiled widely, sinking down to sit on the floor. "Fair enough. So what else were you thinking about?"

"You don't want to know." She smiled mischievously.

"Try me." Kenton replied game for any subject that would take Vanessa's mind off her captivity.

"Boys." She said casually.

Kenton leapt up making a straight way for the stairs. "You're right, I didn't want to know."

Kenton smiled as Vanessa's pleasant laughter chimed through the old tower.

~8~

Kenton weaved his way through the vast catacombs of the Undercity. A few Forsaken stopped to wave at him as we made his way to the Royal court. This late at night the court was deserted save one or two sentries stationed at the door. He walked passed them, flashing a quick salute before opening a secret passage that led into Sylvanas' study. She was sitting at her desk, combing over ledgers, making quick marks of the parchment with her vulture feather pen.

"Vanessa?" She asked off handedly, not bothering to look up.

Kenton sighed, slipping into a chair. "In the bell tower again."

Sylvanas chuckled ever so slightly. "She always did like going where she was forbidden."

The silence in the large study told Sylvanas something was on Kenton's mind. Placing the quill in the ink pot, she raised her head to him. "What troubles you, Kenton?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, awkwardly, knowing what he was about to do would be a difficult long-shot. "Have you not seen that far away look in Vanessa's eyes? That day dreaming state you catch her in every so often. My Lady, Vanessa is at that age where she desires to go on her own." He began, but halting when Sylvanas glared at him.

"Out of the question. We have undoubtedly one of the most powerful paladins this world has ever seen, and you want to set her loose because she has a little wanderlust?" Sylvanas threw her hands up disparagingly. "And for what, for her to decide she would rather ally herself with her kind and possibly strike a critical blow to the Forsaken!"

"Now you know Vanessa would never do anything of the sort!" Kenton argued slamming his fist against the desk. It took the commander a few deep breaths to calm himself though there was no need for such actions anymore. "You would deny her, what you sought all those years under Arthas' hand."

"Don't you dare compare me to Arthas." Sylvanas snarled dangerously. "I did not twist her into to outcast freak, bound to endless torture. I gave her a home, and a life with some one who cares for her."

There was silence for a moment as Sylvanas turned from Kenton staring at the smoldering fireplace. "If I loose Vanessa, then I loose the last thing that makes me feel normal."

"Just here me out, my lady," Kenton felt like he was nearly pleading for Vanessa's case, it was hard to disagree with Sylvanas, the paladin did give you a sense of normality.

More than once Kenton found himself laughing like his old living self, when he was around Vanessa. Sometimes he wondered if he looked in a mirror would he see a rotting corpse or that scraggly, red haired, cheery faced man life had known.

"A week from now, Light's Hope, in the eastern Pageland's, will begin Paladin trials. You don't have to become a member, or have some sort of loyalty, it's a neutral organization. If you let her go, she will have a taste of the freedom she desires so, and accomplish a dream she's had for a very long time. The trials last for a month. Please, she wants this even more than freedom itself."

There was a war raging inside Sylvanas, need and love fighting for the young paladins life's dream. Showing kindness to Vanessa was, to Sylvanas, was a shred of humanity she had regained. It showed she was not a monster, and she was loath to think what might happen if the girl found a way to rid herself of her captivity and decided to never come back.

But on the other hand, she had always desired to make Vanessa happy, she was not oblivious to realize raising a girl, in the city of the dead, might not be the happiest place on Azeroth.

The Dark Lady sighed, turning to Kenton wearing a sad smile. "She always could make us dance to her tune." Lifting a finger she pointed it to Kenton. "One month, Kenton, she has one month…"


	3. Trials and Tribulations

Thank you for the encouraging comments :3. A few quick things. I probably should have done my homework a little better to find out Darion Morgrain was leader of the Death Knights in-game T-T. In my story his name in Avrin, so you all wont be, 'lolwut?' And this chapter is kind of long, but hang in there with me please. For warning, this story takes a lot of twist and turns, after this chapter. Be prepared for the unexpected!

Vanessa's heart soared to endless heights as she raced on Ember. The living, chestnut colored horse, rode at break neck pace, mimicking the emotions of its master. Freedom. The word sounded sweet in her mouth. Driving her to spur Ember to a faster pace. Freedom, even a limited one was wonderful indeed.

When she had come to Sylvanas only the day before, she was surprised at her mistress' quick approval, although she had been made to swear to come back in one month's time. She had no doubt Kenton had something to do with it. The Forsaken warrior had been like a father to Vanessa, teaching her more fighting skills than the blood elves Sylvanas had tasked to train her.

The land passed by in a blur of green and browns the only sound of Embers hooves pounding the hard packed dirt and Vanessa's occasional laughter.

The sun was at its Zenith as she made her way to the bridge connecting the two Plaugelands. Vanessa dismounted the sweat covered, panting Ember, allowing the mare to feed and water. Even from here, Vanessa could see the crest of one of the towers rising above the diseased forest. She would make Lights Hope in a few hours if she kept her pace with Ember.

Freedom…The word permeated Vanessa's mind again causing the paladin to smile. Kneeling down to the river she drank her fill of the water then lay by the fast running river.

Involuntarily her hand went to the collar cleverly disguised by her plate armor and a leather jerkin. But even the touch of the metal could not bring her down. Perhaps Sylvanas would see her worth as a master paladin and finally see there was no need to keep her as a slave, surely the Dark Lady would realize her talents could be used abroad to serve the Banshee Queen.

Saddling Ember once more she took off more eager than before.

The sight of Lights Hope made Vanessa pause, the cathedral in the center of the town gave Vanessa ill feelings from her youth for a moment or two before looking at the larger scale of the town. Mounts of every sort trotted around the large stables, as the paladins in training and master's of the art darted about waiting for initiation.

Vanessa quickly dropped Ember off to the stables, and a dwarf hurried to rub down the tired beast. Shouldering her knapsack, and weapon, she made her way into the bustling town just as their speech was about to begin.

Humans, blood elves, dwarves, Dranei and a spattering of Tauren milled around. The crowd of paladins silenced as Tirion Fordring approached.

The aged paladin was indeed a sight, clad in golden armor, his Libram attached to a chain by his side, and of course the ash bringer strapped to his back. The blade that slew thousands of Arthas minions, Vanessa looked at it, as did all the new recruits with unconcealed awe. Tirion stood on the small erected stand; he had a serious frown of his face as he addressed the crowd.

"Welcome to the Lights Hope Paladin trials. No matter your race, background, or affiliation, you have all come here for two purposes. To serve the light, and protect those you love. Be reminded, this is no game. Some of you may very well die attempting to achieve the rank of master paladin, many of you will fail. But those who shine out above the rest will earn their Librams and go on to right this world's wrong in the name of the light!"

The cheering was deafening for long minutes, until Tirion held a hand up for silence so he could continue. "Your days will be divided into three lessons. Harnessing the light to heal, protect, and fight. If you make it through the trial your teachers will determine what particular function suits you best. In the cathedral are papers with your schedules. Good luck to you all."

The trainees filed quickly into the cathedral, although with all the excitement Vanessa felt akin to a leaf being moved along a river.

The three tables, piled high with papers, were set on immediately by the mass of trainees each going to the table of their preferred specialties.

Vanessa some how managed to weave her way through the press of people coming upon the table with the insignia of a hammer atop it. The table was nearly empty of papers as it appeared this was everyone first choice. Vanessa reached out for a crumpled paper at the same time another student did. Their hands met and Vanessa with drew, looking up to see who had nabbed the paper before her.

A tall man, with long golden hair tied behind him, stared a Vanessa, his green eyes causing her gut to clench.

"Apologies, My Lady, I can get a little frenzied around the tables." He said sheepishly, handing the numb Vanessa the paper.

She blushed a deep crimson as her brain reconnected to her body, suppressing a shudder she took the papers slowly.

"I-It's no trouble." To Vanessa horror her voice sounded tiny and squeaky in her ears.

The blond haired man flashed a relieved smile holding out his hand. "My names Darren Steelstrike."

"Vanessa."

She took his preferred hand shaking for the longest time, each simply staring at one another. It dawned on Darren first they looked like idiots and he slowly took his hand away.

He laughed awkwardly. "So, this first time at the trials?"

"Yes." Vanessa nodded, as they wove their way through the crowd to the other tables.

"My fifth." Darren revealed, mumbled quietly. "The master paladins have already determined my best talents lie in the healing art, but I can never pass the last trial." He sighed.

Vanessa placed a soothing hand on Darren's shoulder. "Well, I hope you do well this time around."

Again the awkward silence echoed louder than the bustling paladins around the pair. Vanessa forced herself to turn away, readjusting her pack, for lack of anything better to do. "Well, um…nice meeting you, Darren, but I have to find my sleeping arrangements."

"Oh that's no problem." Darren grinned at her, pointing to the west. "The girl's barracks are in the next building over. The boys are on the east. They used to be joined, until a lot of the girls started having morning sickness, and half the boys couldn't concentrate on the trials."

Vanessa laughed waving good bye to Darren as she headed out the door. Yet even though he was gone, she could still see his face in her head, that lopsided grin that caused her to smile as well.

The girl's barracks door had been jammed open with a rusted broadsword hilt to allow a breeze to flow through the building. Vanessa enters timidly, and she quailed at the chaos before her. Double bunks lined both sides of the walls, women of every sort darted around, chatting excitedly, or attempting to find a bunk of their own. Bags, weapons, and armor had been tossed in one horrible mess, as women read through the jumble of items attempting to figure out whose was whose. Occasionally someone would yell out a name and another would answer, in which case the bag or occasional weapon would be tossed into the direction the voice had come from.

Vanessa ducked and dodged around the fray, vainly attempting to locate a bed that some on else's things hadn't been thrown on. She finally came to the far end of the room, the broken window beside it filtering in the dusk sun. Dropping her bag and gear at the foot of the bed, Vanessa practically leapt on the mattress. The off color white sheets smelled freshly washed, and the bed itself was actually not that uncomfortable.

Vanessa took a steadying breath drowning out the other paladins for a time. This was real, she was here and it was everything she hoped it to be. As she lay back, taking it all in, and praising Sylvanas' generosity, Vanessa was getting the feeling she was being watched. She opened an eye slightly to find a blue, tentacle face staring upside down at her. She jumped in alarm and the Dranei grinned at her.

"Hi, I'm Sari. Looks like me and you are bunk buddies." The Dranei said, never once loosing her grin that Vanessa was fast finding kind of creepy.

"Vanessa." She replied, her tone showing she was in no mood for conversation.

The Dranei's looked down to the end of the bunk, then back at Vanessa. "That's all you brought?"

"Yea, why?" Vanessa grumbled trying very hard to be trite so the Dranei would leave her be.

"I don't see how you're going to make it through, healing and defensive classes with fighter armor. You don't even have a shield."

Vanessa turned back around sharply, a confused look on her face, and Sari laughed cruelly. "You didn't think the Argent Crusade supplied you with those things, did you?

"Well…I-I…didn't…" Vanessa stumbled, causing Sari to laugh louder.

"Typical backward human, you think you can traipse in here with nothing but a little blessing from the light and a whole lot of pride. Only ten get to achieve the rank of master, and I plan to be one of them."

Sari looked Vanessa up and down in disgust. "You…you won't last a week."

Before Vanessa could reply the Dranei retreated back to the top bunk, leaving a worrisome Vanessa alone with her thoughts. It was true; Vanessa hadn't truly thought about bringing anything else, Sylvanas had always made sure her studies were mostly in the offensive arts although she had been trained in all three. To exhausted to do anything else, Vanessa closed her eyes to sleep, hoping she could make it through the next day without to much difficulty.

The morning bell rung at five and the trainees rolled out of bed, still tired from their initiation the previous day.

The sun was barely hinting the tree tops as paladins from both barracks trudged to the makeshift kitchens that had been erected outside the cathedral. Smells of bacon and huge cauldrons of oatmeal, seemed to rattle the mass' awake.

A line was formed with out to much hassle each waiting for a tallying out of breakfast. Vanessa thought she was the only one who didn't look dead on their feet. Having had to attended Sylvanas at court, along with her training, she was used to such early hours.

She was luckily one of the first to be in line, and she quickly found a spot to enjoy her meal beside the cathedral. She had just begun to dig in when a voice hailed her.

"Vanessa." Darren called out to her.

The hot oatmeal seemed to get stuck in her throat, before having to tell her brain to swallow.

"May I join you?" He asked hopefully as he stopped in front of Vanessa.

She nodded, patting the dewed grass by her side.

"Lucky me, I got healing master, Talus, for my first trainer." Darren said through spoonfuls of oatmeal. "Now all I have to worry about is making it through fighter and defensive classes alive. What about you?"

"Fighting, thankfully. I don't have the armor for much else." Vanessa replied sullenly, the talk with Suri, rearing its ugly head once more.

Darren placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, flashing a smile that momentarily made Vanessa forget her worries. "The masters don't really care about the armor. It's the skill in which you perform that counts to them."

The sharp clang of the Cathedral bell rang throughout the town, telling the trainees breakfast was over and class' were about to commence.

Darren leapt up, holding out a hand to help Vanessa rise. "Best not be late. See you at lunch time?"

"Count on it." She called to him, as he raced off.

Allowing herself a moment to stare at Darren, Vanessa promised herself, some how, some way, she was going to marry that paladin.

Tirion Fordring stood at the steps of the Lights Hope monastery grimly. Usually the sight of the large building gave him comfort, knowing that even in this diseased choked land the light prevailed. But not today, today he stood on the monastery step awaiting his 'honored guest' Avrin Morgrain, leader of the death knights and founder of the Ebon Blade. The two organizations had rallied together to defeat Arthas, but that had been 3 long years ago. The ties between the Argent Crusade and the Ebon Hold were strained till the point of breaking. Tirion was doing all in his power to prevent that. Other dangers were beginning to arise in Azeroth with the return of death wing. The last thing they both needed was fighting a war on two fronts. A chill filled the air on the warm summer morning, and Tirion knew his guest had arrived. Avrin Morgrain walked slowly down the path that led to the Cathedral. He was flanked by two Death knights and about a dozen tailing him, they all wore heavy black armor.

"Welcome, Avrin." Tirion held out his hand attempting to sound his most pleasant.

The ice cold touch from Arvin's grip made the paladin want to recoil but he fought the urge.

"Thank you, Tirion, for inviting me to witness these, trials." The raspy voice sounded annoyed and slightly aggravated but Tirion could tell, Avrin was trying to be amicable as well.

"Well, master Death Knight, allow me to show you around first. We'll begin with the fighter trainees…

The pair of leaders, along with the Death Knight entourage, walked across the grass to the fighters stationed behind the cathedral. Steel flashed off steel, the ring of blades chiming through the air. Every so often you could hear a trainer barking out different techniques and commands the trainees were to perform. Avrin smiled for the first time that day, thinking at least this would be interesting to see. As they came into view of the class, the first thing that caught his eyes shocked him in a way that he physically reeled. Backwards.

A girl was wielding a large, expertly cared for broadsword. She fought with an uncanny grace, the blade more a part of her than just a weapon. But Avrin knew that weapon. He would have known it anywhere, for he had crafted it many, many years ago. Even known, he could see his little brothers face, as he handed him the sword he had so fastidiously crafted. It was a face of awe and love, a happy time, before his brother's crazed affiliation with the Crusade had turned him into one of the monster he had tried defending the land against. That blade was a precious memory to him, something he wanted badly. Breaking free from the group of spectators, he walked up to the girl. "You, girl, where did you get that sword?" He asked angrily.

Vanessa turned around, breathing hard, the sword hanging lowly to the ground. She was startled at first to see a furious Death Knight walking toward her, and wondered what she had done.

"I'll ask you again. Where did you come by the blade?" Avrin growled dangerously.

"Someone I care for very much gave it to me." Vanessa replied shyly, seeing as the commotion had drawn the trainees to stop and stare. Even now some were filtering from the other classes to see what the yelling was about.

"What is the meaning of this?" Tirion asked out raged as he caught up to Avrin.

"There is an inscription on the bottom left side of the hilt." Avrin explained, ignoring Tirion. "It says D.M. it stands for Darion Morgrain. My brother. I don't know how any one came by that sword and frankly I don't really care. What I do care about is having it back in the possession of a Morgrain."

Vanessa clutched the sword tighter, it was ironic that it was in the possession of a Morgrain already, but only she here, knew that. Moreover it was a gift Sylvanas had bestowed upon her years ago. It was just as special to Vanessa as it was to Avrin.

"If I give it to you, master Death Knight, then I will be lacking a weapon." Vanessa replied, vainly attempting to use the pathetic logic in hopes Avrin would depart.

The Death Knight barked out a harsh laugh that made Vanessa cringe. "I will give you any sword of your choosing in exchange for my brothers."

"No." Vanessa shook her head stubbornly.

A few of the trainees and master paladins were nodding their head, mumbling their agreement with Vanessa, causing the plethora of Death Knights to bristle.

The situation was becoming more dangerous by the moment, Tirion could see. "What's your name, miss?" Tirion asked.

"Vanessa."

The master paladin scratched his graying beard slightly. "Vanessa, surly you can see the blade has some great value to sir Avrin. He has even offered you a fine trade for it."

"No." Vanessa said again, adding even more tension to the dangerous situation.

Avrin took a step forward his hand reaching for his own sword. "I warn you girl, give me that blade…"

"Eh, go back to your floating casket in the sky, dead man." A trainee yelled.

Others were beginning to brandish their blades, the trainers doing the same. Death Knights began clutching their weapons, as Tirion vainly tried to calm the situation. Some one, either Death Knight or Paladin threw a rock towards the two leaders. And all hell broke loose. The Death Knight yelled out angrily reaching to strike the nearest paladins. Trainees swarmed the fray, fighting with fist and weapons to defeat the Death Knights.

Seeing his chance, Avrin lunged for the sword, but Vanessa nimbly jumped back, nicking the Death Knight in the process. Avrin unsheathed his blade swing with abandoned at Vanessa. She parried a few but most she had to keep leaping back to avoid, Arvin's deadly arch. After one upward swing, Avrin rushed Vanessa with a spiked cauldron, ripping into Vanessa's shoulder. She shrieked, tumbling to the ground in pain. Immediately though, Vanessa knew it hurt a lot less that it should. Already, she could feel the flesh knitting back together. Rolling out the way of Arvin's blade that stabbed down, Vanessa leapt up, seeing her healer. Darren stared at her, flashing her lopsided grin. His mouth moved silently in prayer to the light, asking it to lend him its power. Vanessa could have run to hug him. Suddenly, Darren stiffened, his eyes went wide, a look of confusion plastering on his face. A red blade appear through his chest, and Darren fell forward. Dead.

At that moment, time slowed. Something inside Vanessa that had long been suppressed broke free. She stood there numb and Avrin didn't waste a minute attempting to run her through. His blade got within two inches of Vanessa before he was incinerated in a flash of holy power. People within a foot of Vanessa were thrown across the grass some landing with sickening crunches never to rise again. The holy power surged through her veins burning like fire. There was a sound of shattering like glass, and the collar broke in a myriad of pieces. Her aura of retribution was akin to a physical force, it was literally on the offensive attacking anything that came near. Tirion called upon the light to protect him but it was not enough. The aura broke through the divine shield as a hot knife through snow. The stunned Tirion was thrown aback, into a cluster of fighters. Vanessa walked slowly to the Death Knight hovering over Darren's limp form. He seemed frozen in fear, his blood drenched blade falling out of his hands. Vanessa twirled the sword of Darion Morgrain the steel bristling with holy power. She lashed out at the unfortunate soul who body was rent in two with one powerful strike. Slowly the fighting was changing to simply getting out of the powerful paladins way. Any Death Knight caught in her way never stood a chance. In mere minuets that fighting was over, leaving many trainees dead, and not a Death Knight alive. Vanessa sank to the blood soaked ground, quivering. After such a feat she felt as if she hadn't eaten or slept in hours. The survivors were giving the exhausted paladin a wide berth, no one daring to near her. From the corner of her eye, Vanessa could see the Tirion walking warily towards her. He stood about a foot away from here, shaking his head in awe. "Never in all my days have I seen the light wielded with such power. Where did you come from?"

"I can't tell you." Vanessa replied quietly, her eyes staring at Darren's limp corpse.

Tirion nodded in understanding, a sigh escaping his lips. "Did the people, from where you came from, know you had this kind of power?"

"Maybe." Vanessa shrugged.

Vanessa didn't care if Sylvanas had known, or not. It didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered anymore. Because of her, Darren was dead. Because of her, he never realized his dream. Being here now felt wrong, like she had desecrated this holy place. Fighting back tears, Vanessa rose slowly, walking towards the stables. People literally flung themselves out of her way, not wishing to take a chance that they two might be attacked by her aura.

"Miss Vanessa, where are you going?" Tirion asked, trailing behind the grieving paladin.

"Somewhere… anywhere. I don't belong here." She replied.

Vanessa gave a sharp whistle, as she opened the stable doors, an Ember came running. After all the commotion, many of the beasts were spooked, but not Ember. The mare appeared to guess Vanessa's thoughts and gave a whinny of comfort.

"Leave?" Tirion said in disbelief.. "You can't leave, you need to learn how to control your gifts. From what I saw today, you have the potential to be the greatest paladin Azeroth has ever known."

Vanessa mounted Ember bareback, not even caring to fetch the saddle first. She looked at Tirion with a glare so profound, the master paladin took a step back.

"Try and stop me." She challenged, and Tirion complied.

Tirion reached out to grab Ember, then sunk to the ground, unconscious. Vanessa looked down in shock, she hadn't known her repentance would knock him out, though it produced her same desired affect. Spurring Ember, the pair rode off swiftly, down the old road, Vanessa had never wanted to be back in the Undercity, as badly as she did now. As they left the harsh words of Suri rang through her head. 'You…you wont last a week.'

The tears finally came then, hot large drops that cooled against the wind. She hadn't even lasted a full day.


	4. Azeroth's Most Wanted

Yea, I don't know how my chapters end up being so darn long . Maybe I wont try to fit so much in one chapter. So working on that…

********88**********

(Stormwind)

The heavy march of plate boots echoed off the stone walls of Stormwind keep. Two guards flanked a bruised and battered Dranei through the luxurious keep, escorting her into the presence of Varian Wrynn.

Genn Greymane watched the three enter from a small crescent balcony above the king's court. Long black hair, streaked heavily with gray, was tied behind him with a thin strap of leather. Features, once haughty and hard, were replaced by humbleness and understanding.

He stirred his Red Ridge tea, slowly, wondering what the Dranei was here for, as he sipped gingerly.

It was probably nothing of much importance, more bandits attacking travelers on the road, or a scuffle with a few Horde soldiers.

He was beginning to turn and leave when the herald announced the Dranei.

"Presenting, Sari Shardheart, paladin in training. Hailing from the Eastern Plaugelands."

Genn turned back around, his interest slightly piqued. He had heard word of a situation that had happened, a few days ago, in the region. Facts, at this point, were sketchy at best, something about the Ebon Blade and the Argent Crusade butting heads.

The refugee king of Gilneas made himself comfortable in a plush blue velvet arm chair, settling to listen in.

King Varian Wrynn sat rigidly in the towering sculpted throne of Stormwind. His silver and blue battle plate glistened in the light that came through the stained glass windows. He shifted slightly in what had to be the most uncomfortable chair on Azeroth, before speaking.

"You know first hand what happened at Lights Hope, Lady Shardheart?" He asked.

Sari nodded nervously, licking her dry lips. "Yes, your majesty. A girl, named Vanessa, came to the trials. She must have been sent as a saboteur, because the next thing we know Death Knight, Avrin Morgrain, is dead and the Crusade is battling the Ebon Blade. She killed both Death Knight and paladin with out regard."

Varian placed a hand under his chin, leaning forward slightly, something he did only when he was intrigued on a matter. "Did Highlord Fordring manage to defeat the woman?"

Sari shook her head. "No your majesty, Lord Fordring is currently in a comma. We found him by the stables. The girl's horse gone. The Crusade is looking everywhere for this girl."

"She put Fordring in a comma!" Varian's eyes widened in surprise as Sari nodded. "Do you remember what she looks like?"

Sari grinned. "Indeed I do, that's why the Crusade sent me. I was her bunk mate."

Varian beckoned to a guard by his side, whispering something incomprehensible. The guard saluted briskly departing with a military grace.

In a few short moments, a short, balding man shuffled in. On his side was a satchel laden with blank scrolls that constantly kept tumbling out the bag.

He gave a stiff bow to Varian before taking out a fresh scroll, and a pencil.

"Please describe the person in question." The man bade Sari with a wave of an ink stained hand.

A few questions and ten minuets later, the man presented his work to the Dranei.

"Almost a perfect match." Sari nodded.

The man then handed the scroll to Varian. "With your permission, my king, I shall depart to make copies."

"I want as many of these as you can make. A 10,000 gold bounty for the person who brings this girl in." Varian ordered. He nodded absently to the man, still staring at the scroll, and the scribe departed.

"Thank you for the help, Lady Shardheart. I will see to it you are justly rewarded." Varian said, rolling up the scroll with a flick of the wrist.

The paladin bowed and departed with the guards, leaving Varian seemingly alone.

"Do you think its one of Deathwings minions, father?" Anduin asked appearing out a side door that was cleverly made to look like the wall.

Varian sighed, handing the scroll to Anduin. "I don't know, my son, the crusade has many enemies. But one powerful enough to put High Lord Fordring in a comma…"

Anduin unrolled the scroll, his eyes roving over the parchment as he let out a soft whistle. "Certainly is easy on the eyes. Hard to believe something that pretty would be so dangerous."

"Then you don't know women at all." Varian laughed, and Anduin joined in.

Both sobered quickly, an Anduin re rolled the scroll.

"The Night elven ambassadors have arrived, they're waiting in the banquet hall." He announced handing the scroll back to his father.

Varian placed the scroll on the throne as he got up, walking with his son to meet with the ambassadors.

Genn waited till the pair had departed before rising quietly. In a few moments he was in the royal court, desiring to see the picture of the girl.

One hand held the tea cup, whilst the other maneuvered the scroll open.

His eyes widened in shock, mouth hanging open. He wasn't even aware he had dropped his tea cup, the brown liquid pooling around his boots. Clutching the parchment he held it close to his eyes looking over every grainy detail.

"It isn't…" He whispered in awe.

"Sir Greymane, are you alright?" A guard asked in alarm, rushing in from hearing the noise of the cup shatter, his sword brandished.

His voice jolted Genn out of his shock. With trembling hands he rolled the scroll, slipping it into his tunic.

He gave a nervous cough. "Just an old man spilling his tea. Have a servant bring a mop, will you. And send for my aid, Lita."

The guard remained standing there, for a moment, staring intently at Greymane. "With all do respect, sir, you look like you've seen a ghost."

"Maybe I have." Genn replied with a weak laugh, running a hand through his hair. "Maybe I have…"

****88*****

(Undercity)

Sylvanas knew something was terribly wrong when she walked into her court the next morning.

The guards had been sent away, as had the orcish 'supervisors' which must have had to take some doing.

Only Kenton remained there, standing where he always stood, though by just looking at him Sylvanas could guess the problem.

"Vanessa?" She asked warily; worry hitting her like a blow to the gut.

Kenton held up a small item, shaped like an Azerothian diamond. Usually it glowed and pulsated bright red, now it was black and lifeless in his hand. Which meant the item it was connected to had been broken.

Sylvanas strode over to Kenton with an uncanny grace, rage dancing in her ruby eyes. She snatched the gem from his hand making it crumble in her grip.

"Where. Is. She?" Sylvanas hissed at Kenton.

The 2nd in command didn't flinch; basking in his queen's wrath with calm only a warrior could posses.

"Your guess is as good as mine." He shrugged.

Sylvanas struck Kenton, sending the forsaken flying across the court. He landed against a wall with a painful thud, his armor the only thing keeping him from breaking his spine.

"Find her!" Sylvanas screeched as Kenton rose.

"Why?" Kenton asked, his face grimacing in pain. "Vanessa gave you her word. She'll be back in a month, maybe sooner, we're getting word of a tragedy in Lights Hope with the crusade and the Death Knights."

"What if she's injured or dead? The collar suppressed a lot of her power." The Dark Lady curled her hands into fist, very tempted to strike Kenton again simply because he was so calm.

Kenton smirked slightly. "Do you remember your first meeting with Vanessa? It would take a mighty force to kill her, collar or no."

"You have too much faith in her." Sylvanas snorted only slightly calmer, Kenton's words made sense.

"And you, not enough." Kenton retorted. "If she loves you half as much as you worry about her, have no doubt, she will come back."

"Not much I can do about it now." Sylvanas grumbled in frustration. Her eyes suddenly became very cold, she narrowed them. "If she doesn't, Kenton, it's your head."

The warrior nodded, showing not a hint of worry. "Then let it be so."

Both turned to the heavy stone doors where loud marching was heard and Kenton sighed. "It appears the two roast boars and 3 barrels of ale I gave to the orcs have been consumed already."

"So that's how you got those louts out of here." Sylvanas chuckled. "Clever, you'll have to do that another time. Regarding, of course, if you have another time."

******88*****

(Somewhere in Azeroth, or off it…)

The dark voices talked to Neltharion. They always talked, even when he slept, never stopping, sometimes whispering, and others screaming where it felt like he would go deaf.

Today, they were roaring.

"Girl…."

"We must have her…."

"Or destroy…"

"Strong…"

"Beware her power…"

"Eastern Kingdoms…"

"BEWARE…"

The voices droned on in an endless cycle. What surprised the dragon aspect of death, was that they sounded… scared.

Neltharion opened his large charcoal eyes. The cavern, he dwelt in, shook as he rose slowly. He stretched his huge leathery wings, and flexed his pristine black claws, shaking his bulk to rid himself of the effects of slumber.

Slowly, his gigantic form began to shrink, twisting and forming into that of a human.

The size of Neltharion's human host and that of the cavern was monumental, though his steps thundered around the cave as if he were still a dragon.

No sun shone in this place. Neltharion's kingdom. His sanctuary.

Around the maw of the cavern, for miles around, were erected dark purple tents. Eerie flickering purple fire surrounded the tents for light, casting horrendous shadows in their glow.

Thousands of his followers dwelt here, in this secret place, serving or waiting to be put in the line of duty for their master.

Here, there was no Horde or Alliance. No neutral organization or other. All were comrades in their one goal. Serve the master.

A horn, blown by a towering Dragonkin sentry, announced Neltharion's appearance and the entire forces began to chant. "Hail the master. Hail!"

The chanting caused the scorched earth to trembled, the words becoming a meaningless incomprehensible cry.

Neltharion allowed himself a small smirk before holding up a hand for silence. It was almost uncanny how the mass quieted nearly immediately, though he was sure no more than a quarter of his forces could actually see him properly.

A spell rendered his voice to boom, so that everyone could hear as he spoke. "The ancient ones have warned me of a threat that could possibly cause a temporary halt to our righteous task. A heathen roams Azeroth, wielding great power. It is a girl, in the Eastern Kingdoms. Go out, servants of chaos, search high and low for this girl. Leave no forest untouched and no tavern unchecked. Search to the end of the world, if you must! Bring her back here, if you can. If not, destroy her. I do not deny the task I place before you is an arduous one, but the one who fulfils it will receive endless power!"

The explosion of cheering was enough to drown out the voices in Neltharion's head for a moment.

Instantly, hundreds of twilight cultist began filtering out of the sanctuary. They ran to teleporters that would see them safely to Azeroth, each in hopes to winning the favor of their master.

Neltharion chuckled quietly, turning back into the cavern to finish his nap. "They should wear her out a bit, and then the real work can begin."

In his mind, the voices were pleased.

********88********

(Later that day. Back in the Undercity)

"Warchief Garrosh, what do I owe this most pleasant of surprises?" Sylvanas asked sarcastically, her voice laced with hate.

Garrosh Hellscream stood at the dais of the Dark Lady, his axe unsheathed and resting casually in his hands, as if he was visibly itching for a fight.

"Can the pleasantries, Sylvanas." Garrosh growled, the towering brown orc looking around the Dark Ladies court suspiciously.

He spat on the floor, as if the city itself was leaving a bad taste in his mouth, before continuing. "No doubt you've heard about what happened at Lights Hope. The person they claim responsible for the disaster was described to look a lot like that slave you own. The Horde could use a person like that; it'd give us a good edge over the Alliance. Hand her over."

Sylvanas' fist clenched as she resisted the urge to fire an arrow at the tiny head of the arrogant Warchief. "She's not here, and even if she was, the answer would be no. Vanessa is my slave, not yours."

Garrosh stared at her long and hard, clearly upset, he did not like to be told no. "You forget, Dark Lady, I can take, or destroy, anything I perceive as dangerous to the Horde, out of your city. If you are hiding the pinkskin, rest assured the consequences will be dire."

Turning to Cromush, chief supervisor of the orcs stationed in the Undercity, Garrosh spoke so that everyone could hear. "The Dark Lady's property has appeared to have gone missing. If it should turn up, make sure you inform me immediately, I would be happy to know it was recovered. And make sure she doesn't loose it again."

With that, Garrosh turned away, entering the portal that led back to the desert city of Orgrimmar, leaving Sylvanas trembling in rage.

The sheer nerve of that brown pig. He thought he could do anything he desired simply because he was Warchief.

"One day, Garrosh Hellscream, people will see you for the cursed warmonger you really are. Then I'll have my revenge." Sylvanas grumbled lowly, flashing murderous glances to the orcs that patrolled her city.

She now hoped, Vanessa decided not to come back immedatly.

(The Border of The Western Plaugelands and Silverpine Forest)

Vanessa crossed the border of the Western Plaugelands sometime in the evening the next day after the disaster.

She rode through a rare used back passage to avoid being questioned at the Bulwark. There was no doubt in her mind news had been spread of the tragedy already.

She an Ember moved at a slow trot, in no hurry to be back at the Undercity. It gave Vanessa time to think.

What would she say to Sylvanas? If she hadn't known of her power, what would Sylvanas think? How had she come by these powers in the first place?

A fork appeared in the road, and Vanessa halted. The wayward path had brambles covering it, she couldn't even make out the road beneath. That told Vanessa it hadn't been used in a very long time.

But she knew where it led. Back to the ruins of the monastery.

Getting off Ember, Vanessa ordered the mare to stay put as she made her way up the path.

The foundation was the only thing left of the Scarlet Monastery. Rubble and debris were toppled in every direction. Scorched stone and timber lying forgotten.

Vanessa leaned her bulk against a tree, staring at the ruins intently. If she had gotten her gifts from Darion Morgrain then he should have slain Sylvanas the night she invaded. That only left her mother.

Vanessa had always been curious who her mother might have been. Some speculated the High Cleric Whitemane, but clerics were supposed to remain chaste, and if Vanessa remembered correctly, Anise Whitemane was extremely devout and strict on rules. Yet that still didn't rule the woman o-"

A crashing through the brush stopped Vanessa's train of thought. She unsheathed her sword quietly and placed it at the ready.

She lowered the weapon when she saw the hunched over corpse of a Forsaken patrol man. He must have come across Ember and rushed to see who had gotten up here.

The Forsaken was tall, even in his hunched over state, his black and brown plate expertly cared for, and he wielded a long sword. In the center of his forehead was a hole.

"Who are you." He snarled dangerously lifting his weapon threateningly.

"Vanessa, slave the Dark Lady." Vanessa replied with a curt nod of the head.

The Forsaken's attitude changed immediately, he lowered his weapon, smiling. "Oh, I remember you. They took you out of the monastery the day Sylvanas killed me."

"You were a Scarlet Crusader?" Vanessa asked in surprise.

The patrol man nodded and spat distastefully. "Sure was, but I soon grew to hate it. Long hours, low pay, sometimes none at all. I was glad the day Sylvanas came here. I died on purpose."

"How long were you here?" Vanessa sheathed her blade, as did the forsaken.

"About 10 years." He shrugged.

A glimmer of hope re lit in Vanessa's heart, as she took a step towards the Forsaken. "Do you remember a woman close to Darion Morgrain, besides the High Cleric?"

The Forsaken put a bony hand to his chin, tapping thoughtfully. "There was one, although I never got a good look at her. I remember the day she arrived."

"Arrived?" Vanessa butted in. "You mean she wasn't a member of the Scarlet Crusade already?"

The forsaken shook his head. " Nope. I had always been a look out and scout for the Monastery, not far from this spot, actually. She came drawn in a carriage with the Gilnean signet on it side. It was heavily flanked with only the most elite Crusaders. I patrolled the Cathedral once or twice as well, even though I never saw her, she had a heavy Gilnean accent. It was well known, by all those who patrolled the Cathedral, Darion and his mysterious Lady friend, nearly never stopped screaming at one another. Word had it she was a sickly woman and a touched messed up in the head. She must have died, because one day, the screaming simply stopped, and she was never seen or heard from again." The forsaken shrugged, turning to leave. "That's all I know, sorry I wasn't of any more help."

Vanessa stood there, alone once more with her thoughts. She was right, her mother had not been Anise, though that still left the question who was the woman with the Gilnean accent.

Vanessa's eyes slowly moved away from the monastery and to the direction of Silverpine. If she was even going to find a hint of who her mother was, it was going to be there, in Gilneas.

Suddenly, Vanessa was caught in indecision. Should she return to her mistress, or go out on a very far limb to see if she could locate information concerning her mother?

She thought about this all the way down the path to Ember. She mounted the beast once more, her head turned towards the Undercity.

"I swore I would return in a month, mistress, and I will keep my promise." Vanessa said solemnly, cutting across the land to Silverpine_. _


	5. Revelations Revealed

Why was chapter 4 italicized and underlined at first? Answer: My computer is from hell, and it hates me with a passion.

********88********

Darkness lay like a shroud over the scarred forest of Silver pine. Bears stalked the night. Spiders spun trap webs for the unaware. Wolves bayed in the distance proclaiming a victorious kill or singing their mournful tune to the hidden moon.

Lita raced through the diseased landscape on all fours. She was a slender Worgen with sleek black fur, the only break in her color two white tips that crested her ears.

Not only was she Genn Greymane's aid, but his chief spy mistress.

It had been about a week since he had tasked her to find the girl; that it appeared all of Azeroth was seeking.

The last time she had seen Greymane he had been shaken badly by the appearance of the paladin.

Whatever memories she dredged up for the exiled king, was kept closely to Greymane's heart, and that worried Lita. It was unlike him to keep secrets from her.

While half of her desired to fulfill Greymane's request, the other half wished that she could bring the girl in for the bounty reward. A purse of 10,000 gold was nothing to scoff at.

The dull pounding of hooves, racing through the damp land, rang out from the distance. Almost immediately the whinny of a horse was heard and Lita crept forward to investigate.

The Worgen clung close to an expanse of low ferns, moving torturously slow. She padded silently along until catching glimpses of a chestnut mare.

The horse reared and bucked wildly, not in fear, more like in challenge of whatever foe it had come upon, its rider attempting to calm the beast.

Clad in silver armor, the rider was a female, a grand sword hung on her back.

She patted the mares flowing mane gently speaking soothingly to the animal.

"Hold hard, Ember, what's got you so riled?"

A howl rent the air and a Worgen leapt out from the brush opposite of Lita, its fangs and claws bared viscously.

Lita could tell just by looking at the Worgen, there was no curing it. It had succumbed fully to its rage, more beast than man.

The girl didn't budge as the Worgen flew toward her. It got about a foot before stopping as if it had hit a wall. The girl's sword was brandished in a flash, as she leapt off the horse.

In one smooth motion the Worgen's head lay severed cleanly from its body, the limbs still contorted for battle. She sheathed the blade, not even bothering to clean it, and spat on the corpse contemptuously.

Remounting she patted the horse for good measure and they were off once more.

Lita broke into a victorious sharp toothed grin, she was sure she'd found the right girl. The only questioned remained now, was how to capture her…

******88*****

Gilneas. The more Vanessa thought about her mothers supposed origin, the more she detested it.

Living most of her life around Sylvanas, her mistress' hatreds had rubbed off on the paladin.

There had been many times, soldiers coming back from the front, would bring back 'trophies', a habit they'd picked up from their orcish allies.

Many times it would be a string of Worgen fangs or a claw worn as a necklace, sometimes they'd bring back the whole head to present to their friends.

When ever she was with Sylvanas and they saw a spectacle like that, the Dark Lady would turn to her smiling in satisfaction. 'Remember, Vanessa, the only good Gilnean, is a dead Gilnean.'

Vanessa grimaced; worry worming its way into her mind. Sylvanas might look upon her differently knowing she was half Gilnean. It was not a thought she desired to think about and summarily banished it from her mind, but try as she might, it would not leave.

Sylvanas was one of the rare few who accepted Vanessa for who she was. She was loath to think what might happen if that changed.

As they neared a small clearing, Ember reared her head up, sniffing the misty air warily. The mare's nostrils flared angrily sending shoots of vapor into the air.

Vanessa rolled her eyes, sighing tiredly. "What now, Ember? By the Light, you have more battle lust than a group of orcs attacking Stormwind."

Dismounting the beast, Vanessa placed a hand on it side, a sign it was to remain. Ember took a step forward as if it wished to disobey, but the beast was well trained. With a snort, that sounded annoyed, she put her head down to graze.

Vanessa unsheathed her sword walking towards the clearing ahead slowly. As she came into the clearing she saw what had Ember so up-in-arms.

A Worgen was resting close to the brush leading back into the tangled forest. Even from here, Vanessa could see it was not like the one that had attacked her earlier. This one's fur was combed, but slightly ruffled, and it wore clothes and carried a few packs. It was whimpering in pain wrapping a bandage around its sides.

Vanessa praised her good luck; she could capture it and see if it knew anything about Gilneas that would help her get around. As she revealed her self walking swiftly to the Worgen, Lita raised a hand hailing her.

"Human, you look like you have the gifts of a paladin. The Forsaken ilk have injured me, heal me, now!"

Vanessa sneered at the Worgen but determined to go along with it. The beast looked like it could still put up a run, even injured, and Vanessa didn't want to loose it in the untraceable forest.

Kneeling down, Vanessa put a hand to the Worgen's leather vest sending a prayer of healing through her to the Worgen.

Lita cried out, gasping in shock, the warmth of the simple spell flowed through her, fixing every past injury that ailed her. She felt as if she could take on the entire forsaken army by herself.

Lita swallowed hard, trying to catch her breath that the unexpected power of the spell had taken away.

The rush of the healing caused her to tremble but she flashed Vanessa a smile. "Thank you, human, that spell must have been taxing." She nudged her head to one of the packs by her side. "There's food and water in there if you require it for after a spell such as that."

Vanessa snatched the pack eagerly. After leaving Light's hope, she had nothing but her armor and her blade. She had managed to hunt down a few small game, but not much. Even the thought of stale rations nearly set her mouth watering.

The moment Vanessa swallowed the first bite, she knew something was wrong. Her eyes began to droop and her limbs felt as if they were caught in a vat of molasses.

Vanessa attempted to call upon her aura to dispel it, but her mind became jumbled and foggy. The aura itself would not kick in own it's own because Vanessa had previously felt no threat to the food.

She wanted to yell out for Ember, but the words came out slurred. Trying to rise, Vanessa got two steps before falling to the cold ground unconscious.

"To easy." Lita smirked, going down to disarm the girl.

The aura attacked then, sending Lita flying back into the forest. It was only thanks to the remnant power of Vanessa's healing spell that Lita hadn't died.

Racing back to the unconscious body of the paladin, Lita cursed the girl silently while rubbing a bruise on her shoulder. "Okay, new plan."

Lita reached into a small brown pouch sprinkling some white sleeping dust over Vanessa. She sighed in aggravation, while doing so, knowing this dust had cost a pretty copper. More fervently than before she hoped this was all just a coincidence and she could bring her in for the money.

"Now you stay right there, I'll be back soon." Lita gave a mirthless laugh, speaking a phrase to activate a hearthstone.

******88******

Vanessa awoke with a head ache for the ages. Groaning deeply she sat up rubbing her temples.

"Glad you've come to, my lady." A deep kind voice said.

Vanessa's eyes shot open, but her vision was blurry and she could only make out a two figures and a sharp glimmering light.

"Give your eyes a moment to adjust, and no sudden movements or you'll make yourself dizzy." A feminine voice informed her.

Slowly everything began to come back into focus where Vanessa could see the two speakers.

One was the Worgen she had healed earlier, laying against the base of a tree. Her arms were crossed, and she glared nothing but hatred at Vanessa.

The other was a cloaked figure, sitting close to the crackling fire. He was hunched over, and looked small, but Vanessa got the feeling this was a person of some importance.

The cloaked figure put another branch on the fire before speaking. "I am sorry for having to meet you like this, but my aid here, couldn't figure out any other way for us to meet."

"Who are you?" Vanessa asked quietly, yet even that sounded loud in her ears.

The figure took off his hood revealing the face of Genn Greymane, his features looking sharp and skewed in the fire light. "I am Genn Greymane, king of Gilneas."

"Try an attack us and we'll be gone before you can blink." Lita added on quickly seeing the surprise in Vanessa's eyes.

Vanessa looked from Lita to Genn, chuckling slightly. "I must tell you, I am none to keen on Gilnean's."

"And yet you are one." Genn countered simply.

Vanessa glared at him darkly, her lips curled in a sneer. "You don't know that!"

Genn threw an item to Vanessa, it landed on her lap with a slight jingle. Vanessa held the item to the firelight; it was a golden locket and chain wondrously decorated with a Gilnean signet. Instinctively she knew what it was. She opened it slowly, with shaking hand, her heart doing back flips in her chest.

Inside, she saw herself.

It was a picture of a woman resting in a wicker wheel chair, a white blanket covered her legs and her hands were folded delicately in her lap. Her onyx black hair tumbled down slightly past her shoulders. She had a clam, reassuring smile on her face, one that made others desire to smile as well.

"Unnerving, isn't it?" Genn asked upon seeing Vanessa's shocked expression that had mirrored his own a week ago. "You could pass for her twin with ease."

Vanessa's eyes slowly drew away from the picture and onto Greymane. "Who is she?" She asked breathless.

"Her name was Katya Greymane, my only sister." Genn replied quietly, his voice steeped in sadness.

Lita leaned forward looking from Vanessa to Genn. "What?" She whispered to Greymane in surprise.

"I have never heard of this Katya." Vanessa said restraining her emotions.

"You wouldn't have." Genn sighed, suddenly sounding very old.

"Why?" Vanessa asked.

He chuckled slightly. "A very long story, swathed with tragedy, my lady."

Vanessa reclined backwards on her elbows, settling in by the fire. "We have time, sir Greymane. I desire to hear of what happened my mother."

Genn was silent for a moment before giving Vanessa a slight nod of the head. "Very well, it began like this…"

~8~8~

Quick note: I thought Vanessa's mom deserved a little history. So next chapter will be about her, then we'll be back on track!


	6. Secrets of the Past

"Absolutely not!" Genn Greymane roared at the Lorderan ambassadors. "How can King Menethil ask us to send more money, to the interment camps, when they've been having break outs and attacks all year long? The money we've given him has already proven to do no good. He probably just wants the gold to replace the ships those orcs stole last month."

The king of Gilneas slammed a fist on the arm rest of his throne, causing those in the court to jump, his gray eyes glaring angrily at the ambassadors.

"Tell the 'great king of Lorderan', that if he desires more gold he better have something to give me in return besides lousy excuses and false promises!" Genn rapped his scepter on the stone floor imperiously and two guards entered to escort the ambassadors away.

Genn reclined back on his throne, fuming at the very nerve of king Menethil, thinking his poor health must be effecting what little sense the king of Lorderan had.

A small door creaked open from the side of the court, and Genn bristled ready to bite who ever had entered head off. He calmed immediately, smiling even, as the tiny figure of his sister Katya Greymane appeared before him.

She walked slowly with a heavy ash cane, carved and decorated with flowers. The incessant rapping of the cane stopped as she stood before him, smiling. "Good afternoon, king brother, and how do you feel after your screaming fit with the Lorderan ambassadors?"

He laughed loudly rising to hug his sister. "I wouldn't have screamed so loud if you were asleep, Katya." He took a step back, looking at her with unconcealed joy. "How long have you been out of your chair today?"

"An hour or so." She nodded proudly.

Katya had been born a sickly child. No one thought she would live to see her first birthday. But, as all Greymane's, Katya fought through, even though her hips and legs were weak so much so she was usually confined to a wheel chair.

Genn's father had always been ashamed he'd produced such a sickly child, and Katya was closed away in the shadows like a dirty family secret. That however, suited Katya just fine. The light had blessed her with healing powers, although she had never been able to heal herself.

The irony had never been lost upon Genn.

If Katya was ever bitter about that fact, she never allowed it to show. Her days were filled with exercising her nearly useless legs, and meditating on the light.

She was also Genn's best friend. While as he grew, he slowly became alienated from those not considered 'of his caliber' leaving a rare few for true friends.

"Have a seat," Genn bade his sister holding out a red sitting stool. "I don't want you to get tired out so early."

Katya flashed her brother a coy smile, sitting gingerly. "So my brother is letting me sit in on a meeting, it must not be anyone very important."

Genn chuckled quietly. "Always perceptive aren't you. There's a new organization of paladins calling themselves the Scarlet Crusade. They have arisen to combat the unrest near Stratholme and Lorderan. Word has had it people have been practicing necromancy and other dark art down there."

"And what do they want here in Gilneas?" Katya asked intrigued.

"It's unclear at the moment, but they're fixing up the old monastery in Tirisfal and I believe they want to build a monastery here." He replied sitting back on the throne."

"Will you let them?" She arched an eyebrow slightly.

The king of Gilneas shrugged, his hand clasping the golden scepter once more. "I need to know what's in it for Gilneas first, and what they will offer."

"You think to much on physical items, brother mine." Katya shook her head sadly, and then quieted.

Genn rapped his scepter on the stone and the great court doors opened slowly.

There was only one representative for the Scarlet crusade, a tall, reddish bearded man, clad in the sanguine armor of his organizations namesake. His helmet was tucked snugly under his arm and he walked with a military grace toward the throne of Gilneas.

He stopped about a foot away from Genn, saluting him sharply. "Honored King Genn Greymane, a thousand thanks for seeing me on such short notice."

Turning slightly to left, he gave Katya a deep bow that caused the crippled woman to blush. "I bid you greetings as well, my lady."

"Your name, sir paladin?" Genn asked icily.

"Commander Darion Morgrain, your highness." Darion bowed to Genn curtly.

Genn gave a distasteful snort, beckoning his hand toward Darion. "Very well, Sir Morgrain. What have you come to ask of Gilneas…?"

By the time Darion took his leave, Genn was exhausted; he gave a weary sigh his mind whirling.

The information Darion had bestowed upon him was disturbing, cultist performing human sacrifices, strange creatures wandering the land, once calm beast turning feral and insane smelling of disease and rot.

"What do you think, brother?" Katya asked, sounding as alarmed and disturbed as Genn felt.

Giving a humorless laugh, Genn turned to her. "What I think, Kat? I think your eyes didn't leave from sir Darion one time!"

Katya shrugged shyly fiddling with the embroidery on her dress. "You know what I meant, Genn."

Rubbing his temples in small circular motions, Genn felt a head ache coming on but he attempted to fight it off. "From what I saw from Sir Darion, the Scarlet Crusade appears to be a touch over zealous."

"One can never be over zealous when it comes to serving the light." Katya scolded gently as she rose with a painful grunt.

Genn began rising as well to help her, but the stalwart woman made a shooing motion with her hand, chuckling. "I think I am strong enough to walk from here to my chambers, brother. I will even take the long way as well."

With that, she began to hobble slowly to the front court doors. Genn counted slowly to 100, like he had done when he was a child, and then rose to follow to make sure she didn't harm herself.

He slipped out the court door quietly, casually walking a far distance behind Katya.

Her walking was very labored but she trudged on stubbornly.

Even though she hated it, Genn was about to rush to help her, when another did.

"My Lady, may I aid you?" Darion asked gently taking Katya by the arm.

Genn leaned back against the cold wall, attempting to make himself as unnoticeable as possible.

Katya laughed shyly, nodding. "Yes, thank you, sir Morgrain."

Instantly, Genn knew she had planned this. Katya wanted to run into the paladin again, even if it meant injuring herself.

Shaking his head, Genn didn't know weather to applaud the woman's cleverness and guile to meet the paladin, or scold her for doing something so foolish.

"May I know who it is I am escorting?" Darion asked, flashing Katya a smile.

Katya began slowly walking to the direction of her chambers, clutching closer to Darion's arm for more support. "Katya Greymane. Sister to his majesty."

"Sister!" Darion echoed shocked, his voice getting fainter in Genn's ears.

"Yes." Katya chuckled. "The lesser known Greymane child. Many people argue if I exist at all."

"Well I am glad you do…" Were the last words Genn caught before they fell out of hearing range.

Stepping out of the shadows, Genn sighed turning back towards the court. Let Katya have her fun, it was a rarity when she did so, and she was a responsible woman, she would not let it get to out of hand.

Of course at that moment he did not know how wrong he was…

~8~8~8~

Months had passed since Darion Morgrain had arrived in Gilneas. And everyday Genn saw his sister changing more and more.

Genn slammed his silver chalice on the heavy oaken table, sending Kul'tiras wine sloshing in all directions. "For the last time, Katya, no. The Scarlet Crusade shall not have a monastery here. All the unrest is hailing from Lorderan, the last thing we need is the Crusade to bring trouble to us!"

Katya leaned forward over the table, her voice pleading. "Please brother, can you not see the boon the crusader's monastery will bring. Darion says-"

"Darion!" Genn roared, throwing his chalice across the room, the harsh noise ringing through the dining hall. "If I hear the name of that blasted paladin again, it'll be to soon. You would believe the moon was pink and cows could talk if he told you!"

Katya cast her eyes down, crumpling her napkin, her food lying untouched. "I cant talk to you when your like this. You sound so much like father."

Shaking her head, she rolled away from the table, murmuring something he couldn't catch.

However Genn knew what she said, or something close to it; she was going to her chamber, and probably would summon Darion to speak to her.

Since the paladins arrival he had been nothing but trouble. Not a day went by where Katya didn't mention him at least twice, or see him once.

Genn sighed in aggravation, rubbing at his five o'clock shadow. He had to much to worry about other than his sisters infatuations.

Their ties with the rest of the Alliance were drawing more strained every day. Mounting unrest was rousing the Eastern Kingdoms. Information gathered by Lorderan spies told of strange happenings in the major grain export village of Andorhal. The people were frightened, some even refusing to leave Gilneas at all.

A shadowy figure appeared beside the brooding Genn, leaning down beside the king's ear, he whispered hurriedly. "My king, we intercepted a message falcon from the Scarlet Crusade high command."

Saying no more, the spy handed Genn the plain scroll, only adorned by a slip of red satin to tie it up.

Genn flicked the scroll open in agitation, his eyes roving over the letter quickly. He had to do a double take.

Angrily he clutched the scroll distorting and crinkling it in his iron furious grip, he felt like striking someone.

A deep desire to have Darion Morgrain arrested and hanged suddenly entered into Genn's thoughts. But he knew it couldn't be done, the law was the law. His father had obeyed it and so would he.

"Get that monster out of my city!" He snarled.

He rose out the chair so quickly the chair toppled to the floor with a loud clack. Striding across the dinning hall he threw open the door that led to the private chambers of the Gilnean castle.

Katya was sitting at a window sill, peeping through the lattice of the drapes when Genn stormed in. His face was a dull red and he was breathing heavily.

Katya was more than surprised to see her brother, and looking so furious she instinctually recoiled from him.

"What's wrong, Genn?" She asked, her voice sounding tiny and frightened.

In two large steps, Genn towered over his sister, waving the scroll under her nose with a hand that trembled in rage. "This, Katya, is what's wrong!"

He let the scroll drop to her lap, and took a step back. "Read it, Katya." He growled, crossing his arms.

The young woman opened it with shaking hand, her face going flush. All of a sudden she smiled, laughed, and tossed the scroll to the floor.

"Is that all, brother? Darion has already told me his commander might ask him to do such a thing. He says he truly loves me and would never do any such thing such as this, High Commander or no."

Genn stood there for long moments, for a while lost for speech. "You knew about this, and you believed him!" He sputtered in outrage.

"Of course." Katya replied tartly, smoothing the blanket covering her legs. "Darion would never lie to me."

Genn threw up his hands in exasperation, beginning to pace. "Never lie to you? Katya, use your head. His high commander has ordered him to attempt and seduce you, to get close to the crown!"

"And if he was going to go through with it, would he have told me?" She retorted calmly.

Only a determined will kept Genn from striking his sister.

"No wonder father kept you hidden, you're as stupid as you are crippled." He snarled. "He's using you!

"And you're as ignorant as you are arrogant!" Katya shrieked at him.

All was silent, both staring at the other, till Katya turned away staring out the window once more. She bit her bottom lips as if holding back tears, shaking her head sadly. "Look at us, Genn, fighting and name calling like we were children again." She chuckled half heartedly shifting a drape with a finger, staring down at the persons below, her voice a whisper. "Darion said you'd be like this. He told me you wouldn't approve of me in love with a commoner. Only the best for the ruling family, even if she is kept in the shadows."

Genn snorted angrily, turning his head to the ground. "Love, Katya? You think because he gives you a little attention he's in love with you?"

"It's more than anyone else had ever given me. Darion says I deserve better." She replied lowly.

Genn gave a disparaging sigh, throwing his hands up. "That paladin has poisoned your mind. It's a good thing you'll never see him again when I-"

Inwardly he cursed himself, for letting his rage get the best of him, knowing he had just made a mistake.

Katya turned to him sharply her eyes widening in fear. "When you what?"

The young woman was smart enough to know even if Genn wanted to kill Darion he couldn't because the paladin had come on neutral terms.

"When you what, Genn?" She repeated, struggling to rise from her chair.

She slowly hobbled to Genn who remained enthralled in her blue gaze. Standing in front of him, she searched his eyes as if they could reveal his mystery.

Today, they did.

"You're going to close the gate." Katya whispered aghast, clasping her brothers richly adorned shirt she shook him.

It was not a question, Katya was as sure of it as if Genn had simply come clean.

"It's none of your business." He growled, grabbing her wrist.

"None of my business?" She echoed in disbelief. "It is all of Gilneas' business! One man can not simply exile a whole people from the rest of the world."

"If he is the king, he may!" Genn replied, pushing Katya away.

The woman's legs could not support the momentum and she tumbled hard to the ground. Genn stared at her in disgust turning away.

Katya gasped, attempting to rise. "You will regret this decision till the end of your days, Brother…"

Genn kept walking attempting to rid his mind of his sister's prophetic words.

~8~8~

The air had a chill in it, almost as if in dread as Genn stood on the pedestal to the mass of Gilnean's before him. He made a lengthy speech about the horrors the rest of the Eastern Kingdoms were enduring, then craftily switched to national pride, and superiority and why the people should rejoice to having such a grand gate and wall that would defend their great people. Throughout the whole speech, he always repeated, it wouldn't be closed for ever, just a little while…

Genn looked over the wildly cheering crowd in satisfaction. They were simple things, not like him, easily goaded around like lambs.

In drawn carriage he began the lead to the wall. The sooner this was done the sooner the people couldn't dwell on the decision.

It did Genn proud to see the legacy of his and his fathers dream. The gigantic black and gray walls loomed upward like one long huge pinnacle, shadowing the lands for miles. Heavy wooden gates crafted with only the best timber and enchanted with only the strongest warding spells stood tall and defiant against any foe.

He ascended the steps to the top of the walls, flanked by his private retinue. He was not stupid to think every one would be happy with his decision.

Looking down amongst the ants of people, Genn basked in his power before lifting his scepter high to the heavens.

"Close the gate!" He cried out, and the guards below quickly complied.

Even oiled, the huge double doors groaned in protest of movement and when they shut together the noise eerily reminded Genn of a coffin being closed. But, he reminded himself, they were safe, nothing could break through the walls or gate.

Everything would be alright now, they didn't have to worry about cultist or strange diseases. He innocently thought everything would go back to normal as when his father was in power.

From the corner of his eye, Genn caught the glimpse of a carriage leaving from the shadow of the outside gate. He sighed, knowing some noble idiot had probably completely forgotten about the plans for closing the gates. Even though it had ruined this perfect moment the gates would have to be opened again.

Genn was more than surprised when the carriage appeared to be going away from the gates, as if they were running.

"Whose carriage is that?" Genn asked the guard next to him.

The guard took out a spy glass, quickly, and placed it to his eye. When he pulled it down, Genn noticed he as pale.

"Whose." Genn hissed at the unfortunate fellow.

The guard swallowed nervously before speaking. "Your sisters, your majesty…"

"What!" Genn exclaimed, snatching the spy glass from the trembling guard.

As he focused it, it was indeed, Katya's more than likely following after her paladin.

"Shall we go after her?" The guard asked timidly, visibly shrinking from Greymane.

Genn stared long and hard at the distancing carriage. His lips curling into a sneer. "No. Katya has made her decision. If she would rather dwell with an over zealous paladin than her own people, then she doesn't deserve to be a Greymane at all."

****88***

What sun came through the darkened forest of silver pine was barely hinting the treetops as Genn finished his tale.

The fire had burn to a pathetic smoldering mess, a lazy line of smoke, drifting up to the sky.

"Darion Morgrain was right about one thing, Katya did deserve better. Perhaps if she'd been shown what real love was like, she wouldn't have run off for that paladin." Genn finished quietly.

Vanessa rubbed her eyes, fighting the effects of fatigue and lack of slumber. "I am glad I know somewhat of who my mother was, but that still doesn't tell me how I came to be born with this power."

Genn shrugged, grimacing as he rubbed a hand over his aching back. The cold and the wet of the forest causing his old bones to ache. "If you've already searched the ruins of the monastery, the only place I can think of would be the scourge infested city of Stratholme. It was there the Crusade dwelt before the Monastery was fixed up. Katya might have gone there, before going to live at the monastery."

"Then that's where I'll be heading." Vanessa nodded determinedly, rising from the dewed ground.

"What?" Genn asked in surprise, his pain temporarily forgotten. "Lady Vanessa, you don't seem to understand. You are the last and sole heir of the Greymane lineage. When my time is passed, I would like to see another, wiser, Greymane put on the throne. With your power, you could lead our people to a glorious reawakening and drive the bloody Forsaken from this land. From Hillsbrad to the Plaugelands, Gilneas could rule!"

"Our people?" Vanessa laughed with a slight shake of the head. "They may be your people, but far from mine."

Vanessa gave a sharp whistle, and Ember came racing through the forest to stand beside Vanessa.

The mare looked angry, as if it was upset Vanessa had been away for so long.

She mounted up casting a glance at Genn. His gray eyes peered into her intently causing Vanessa to become uncomfortable.

"You will always be a Gilnean." He stated quietly. "As you will always be a Greymane. It's in your blood, no matter what you claim, you are one of us."

Vanessa didn't reply, though there was a contemplative from on her face, instead she spurred Ember into a straight gallop, leaving Genn and Lita in the dust.

"Do you want me to follow?" Lita asked Genn, packing her things.

Genn shook his head slowly, kneeling to help the spy mistress. "No, she needs time to figure this out on her own. I wont make the same mistake I did with Katya. But trust me, when the time comes, she will come to us, stronger and more confident in herself than ever before."


	7. Where Paladins Dare

The ruined city of Stratholme sat like a festering wound on the diseased earth of the Eastern Plaugelands.

From the crumbling and rusted city gates, the old city looked deserted. But all knew inside, the placed literally crawled with undead, to mindless to be of any use to the Lich King or held in thrall for so long they would never break free from Arthas' grip, even though he was dead.

Rumor had it, for long years, the Scarlet Crusade had held a bastion of defiance in the city of their origin. But as time had gone on, slowly the tireless masses of the undead ilk began to exterminate the crusaders, where as one day, they ended up as Scourge themselves.

Vanessa walked up to the scarred gates warily, knowing if the Crusade had had a pocket of resistance in Stratholme then that was her best chance to find any information.

But in the vast city, she hadn't a clue where to start.

Unsheathing her sword she carried it in her hands loosely, a feeling of dread building up inside of her. Even though she was confident in her abilities to protect herself, the city itself gave an aura of danger that made the hairs on the back of Vanessa's neck prickle.

The entry way into the city looked akin to the maw of a great beast, waiting to devour the living as Vanessa entered.

Her first look at the city made the paladin gasp.

Gutted out buildings, some toppled all together, sat on either side of the debris choked streets. The remnants of carts and carriages laden with baggage in attempt to flee the city were all lying on their sides.

Then the bodies.

Thousands of bones lay helter skelter as far as Vanessa could see.

Slowly, she trudged through the streets attempting to avoid the bones, ragged with clothes, but found it a vain venture.

She raised silent prayers to the light for the poor souls who had attempted to flee from the Legion only to fall victim to Arthas' forces as she stepped on their bones.

The bones crumbled to dust under her boots, quickly covering them in the sickly white powder that nearly made Vanessa gag.

She walked for long hours, the going torturous, and frightening with the horrors she glimpsed of the city.

Vanessa was beginning to think the undead that had once roamed here must have awakened or perished after Arthas had fallen, since the only movement she had seen so far was flesh engorged carrion birds and maggots.

The sun was sinking into the western sky, adding odd hues to the dismal city. Vanessa readily decided she did not want to be in here with out light.

Vanessa called upon the Light, to provide a beckon of radiance around her so see could see as she walked through the ever darkening city.

Wading through a gruesome tangle of bodies, Vanessa failed to notice one of the bones, twitching.

A bleached white hand grabbed Vanessa's ankle with a surprisingly strong grip, causing the paladin to tumble to the ground.

Undead were upon her in seconds swarming over her form, relishing in the thought of fresh flesh.

Rattling cries of victory soon turned into howls of pain and surprise as the Undead were incinerated in a wave of holy energy.

Vanessa leapt up, a cut on her forehead dribbling blood down her face.

The undead who were rushing to help their comrades, ground to a halt, taken in surprise by the girls power.

Wiping blood from her vision, Vanessa made a beckoning gesture to the undead that were surrounding her.

"Come on, you mindless wretches, who wants to die, again!" She yelled out in challenge.

Either the Scourge were afraid of her power or planning on another strike as none moved. The crowd began to grow but still, none attacked her.

Vanessa wondered what they were waiting for when the ground began to shake.

She reeled to catch her balance and her eyes widened in awe as a huge shadow dwarfed her.

The smell of rotting flesh was almost overwhelming, it made her eyes water and she held a plated hand to her nose.

The crowd of undead parted for a huge abomination. Its body was a sickly green, which mirrored Vanessa's face. Putrid flesh hung off bones drooping to the earth. Bulbous and lanky arms stretched out everywhere on its body, each wielding some sort of gruesome instrument heavily coated with dried blood and bile.

And worst of all, it could speak, the noise coming out garbled and choked. "What we got here? Little girl lost. Think she strong because she can kill a few of dim ghouls."

The abomination threw back its hideously sewn face and barked out a laugh its flesh seemingly rolling as he did so sending another whiff of stench towards Vanessa. "Gort take care of you!"

Scourge roared out in bloody delight as Gort charged.

Vanessa rolled her eyes, leaping to the side, and Gort went charging by in a rush of flesh and stench.

"Stay still, little girl." Gort growled throwing his assorted weapons.

Vanessa averted the deadly missiles by parrying them as they came until they all lay around her feet.

"This has gone on far enough." Vanessa sighed, lifting her blade in a battle stance.

She sent power through her sword, sending arches of holy energy towards the abomination.

As they flew toward the helpless Gort, Vanessa ran to the abomination. She leapt into the air slicing off to arms and flesh in the process.

Formaldehyde and congealed blood sprayed on Vanessa as she ran her blade through Gort. He fell back and she stood on him, her sword pinning it to the ground.

Upon seeing their champion defeated, the undead masses scattered into the fetid darkness of the ruined city.

Vanessa heaved from the stench, her lunch landing on the squirming Gort.

"Little girl no kill Gort. Gort no want to die again." It writhed in agony.

"Don't worry, Gort." Vanessa twisted her blade into what she hoped was Gort's stomach making the abomination make a high pitched squeal, uncharacteristic for its body. "I need you unlive."

"W-what girl want?" He bubbled warily.

"I need a guide to the old part of town where the Scarlet Crusade worked from. You will help me." Vanessa ordered dangerously.

Gort nodded vigousously, and the paladin let him rise.

"As long as you don't hurt Gort. You follow Gort, he know the way." The abomination assured her, waddling off.

The hulking creature led the paladin through twist and turns of the city making slow headway to their destination. Although Vanessa couldn't see them she could tell the scourge were skittering in the darkness tailing the pair.

Gort stopped coming upon a cleared out section of town. Only a few barricades lay in a wrecked heap, and then a monastery looming ahead of them.

"Dis the place, little girl." He turned to her expectantly. "You let Gort go now?"

Vanessa nodded, casually, in mere seconds relieving Gort of his head. The bloated corpse fell backwards, lying still as Vanessa made her way to the abandoned monastery.

She didn't think about it much at first, but as she entered the towering monastery, she noticed there were no undead roaming about.

The long stone halls echoed her foots steps, there walls plastered with blood and gore, telling the tale of the Crusaders last stand vividly.

By Vanessa's reckoning it had to be dark by now, and she praised she was in the quiet monastery so she could continue her search uninterrupted by the Scourge. So far her search had proven unfruitful, hours of meticulously roaming the monastery hadn't produced one document.

She was just about to give up when she came upon the last door to the silent Monastery. It was the only one that was locked.

Drawing her blade she shattered the lock and kicked the door in. Inside were stacks of scrolls and tomes, and Vanessa couldn't' help but give a cheer, her spirits renewed.

Quickly she attacked the first pile, kneeling down to open their cases.

"W-who's there." A deep, yet timid voice asked.

Vanessa leapt up, summoning her light to burn brighter, revealing a short, stocky man standing tucked away in a corner, his blue eyes staring at her fearfully.

The paladin relaxed immediately though did not sheath her blade. "My name is Vanessa, I come seeking knowledge of my origin. My father was a Scarlet Crusade Commander, and my mother joined him soon after."

The man shook his head. "That cannot be. All Scarlet Crusaders must remain chaste. It is in their vows."

"Well my parents weren't." Vanessa bristled angrily. "If I was born into the Crusade, then they must have kept me alive for a purpose. I am here to find out what it was."

Creeping out of the corner slowly, the man squinted at her, cocking his head slightly to the left. "Yes, you do remind me of a woman I knew long ago. Katya, I think her name was…" He waved his hand dismissively. "It is of no consequence, the woman was not a true follower. I shall not speak of a backslider."

Vanessa charged the man, slamming him against the wall, sending scrolls tumbling to the earth. "Tell me what you know." She growled.

The mans lips turned up in a devious smile, and Vanessa felt a wave of pain, racing through her.

A wave of nausea over took the paladin; so much so, she found it hard to focus. Her body felt fatigued and limbs shaky. Breathing deeply, she felt as if she would simply die, at any moment.

She fell to the floor, only then she noticed the ground covered in a sickly blood color, and she was sitting right in the center of it.

"A death spell, my dear." A deep, low, nearly purring, voice revealed to Vanessa.

Her eyes shot to the man, who now leaned against the wall. He gave a quiet chuckle, clapping his hands. "To any simple mortal it would have killed them instantly, but it has only succeeded in stunning you."

The man knelt down as if observing Vanessa from a different perspective, his hand tapping his chin in thought. "What do you want to know, Vanessa? Who you are? Why you have this power? I can answer it all."

"W-who A-are you?" Vanessa asked weakly, every word taking effort as if she'd run a mile.

The man roared in unholy laughter, the loud noise ringing through the room and Vanessa's head.

He began to twist and mold himself, the flesh dripping from his body, leaving the monolithic stature of a Nazrethem standing in his wake.

"My dear, I am Balnazzar the dread lord." It took a step forward to show itself fully in Vanessa's beacon light, it's face contorted into a cruel grin. "Your father."


	8. Demons's Daughter

This chapter is a bit wordy, because I always thought Dread Lords talked a lot, but bear with me, please.

~8~8~

Balnazzar was the tallest of his kind. Two spiraled jet black horns, brushed the ceiling of the monastery record room. Fur slightly draped over two large cloven hooves, appeared to have gotten a sickly burgundy color, like blood. Purple and black battle plate, coated with unholy magic, clung fittingly to his form as if it were molded to his skin. His claws constantly shifted and twitched as if they had a mind of their own, always desiring to kill something.

All Vanessa could do was look on in numb horror.

The Dread Lord smiled again, a horrendous thing, and nodded slightly. "It's true, Vanessa. I am your father."

Slowly the creature turned away from the weak paladin, walking to a stack of books. One good swipe of his claws down the middle of the stack sent books tumbling and produced an odd looking place to sit. The Dread Lord sighed as he sunk onto the books, some on each side making like arm rest.

Balnazzar scratched the side of his chin thoughtfully, offering a low laugh before he spoke. "I'll admit I was surprised when I found out you were alive. That fool Darion finally did get one up on me."

Vanessa's shocked and confused features caused the Dread Lord to snort contemptuously. "Now surely you didn't think those two mortals could give you the kind of power you wield?" He leaned forward, smirking. "No, no, My Dear, I'll reveal to you the true secrets of your origin."

"Why are you doing this to me?" Vanessa gasped. She felt glued to the floor, and couldn't call upon her aura; it was a challenge to simply keep breathing.

"Because, Vanessa, I can hurt your spirit far more than your body." He explained calmly, as if she were a small child that needed to learn an important lesson.

Leaning back on the books, his red eyes took a distant gaze, like recalling a memory. "It was a few days when they arrived and I could instantly tell she knew she had made a mistake coming. Darren didn't want to marry her but at the time we didn't know the gates of Gilneas had been closed. We believed it a chance to still get close to the crown."

"But then you found out Gilneas had closed it doors…" Vanessa concluded her face pale and breathing labored.

Balnazzar flashed a twisted smile, clapping. "Yes, and Darion was none to happy. He withdrew from Katya, and that's when my fun began."

The Dread Lord shrugged, picking what looked like putrid flesh from beneath his claws. "Being in that mortal husk, you first saw, could get rather tedious. I had to find some means of entertainment." He chuckled deviously. "I remember it well; I came into her bedroom and ravished her mercilessly. She couldn't even scream…"

Vanessa closed her eyes and tried to block out the vivid descriptions the Dread Lord gave, but so weak, she couldn't even lift her hands to cover her ears.

"The last bit, I believe, truly put her over the edge when I allowed her to see my true face. She didn't stop screaming for three days. A new record on my part." He added casually.

"Monster!" Vanessa snarled, making a vain attempt to rise, and tumbled back in a semi numb heap.

Balnazzar barked out a cruel laugh, holding his side till tears ran down his ugly face. "Pardon the crude adage, but that's truly like the pot calling the kettle black. When Darion found out Katya was pregnant he was furious. He didn't believe her when she said she'd been raped by a demon. Darion would have killed her, but believed letting her see the pregnancy through was a more fitting punishment. With her disfigured waist and legs it was sheer agony for her to carry you."

He sighed dreamily, remembering a happy thought that only a Dread Lord could. "I can still remember listening in on her prayers to the Light asking for it to kill her and relive her of the torment the monster inside of her was causing. More than once she attempted suicide."

"Stop." Vanessa pleaded, but the in the endless cruelty of the Nazrethem, she was ignored.

"Not only did you cause her agony, but you, being part Nazrethem, leeched what little energy she had away for yourself." Balnazzar clutched his chest smiling at Vanessa proudly. "But the birth was when I was proud to call you my child. I can still remember her howls of pain ringing through the Scarlet Monastery halls. By then Darion had become commander of the Tirisfal forces, and I came down from the resistance here in Stratholme just to witness your birth, under different reasons of course. O how she screamed, Vanessa, begging, pleading, for the monster to be out of her and killed. I can still hear Darion screaming 'cut it out if you have to!' After the fun was over I left, thinking that, like all half demon children, you had died moments after your birth."

Balnazzar arched an eyebrow, murmuring thoughtfully to himself. "The Light and Dark must have combined to protect you from death. Surely Darion must have sensed your power and thought you some sort of miracle from the Light. Reasoning why he didn't kill you for his wife's infidelity."

He shrugged again, smirking at the tears that coursed down Vanessa's face. "I gave you no more thought afterwards, until a certain Dranei spy informed me of a tragedy in Light's Hope."

"Sari…" Vanessa finished with surprise.

Balnazzar nodded curtly. "Yes, and when I heard, I knew who you were, and it was only a matter of time until you came here. Like is drawn to like."

"I am nothing like you!" Vanessa screamed with every bit of strength she could muster against the Dread Lord.

"Really?" The Nazrethem asked coaxingly smooth.

Leaping up, he walked toward Vanessa, kneeling to grab her raven hair. The retribution aura attempted to fight back, but was focused on mainly keeping Vanessa alive.

It hurt, to Balnazzar, but nothing he couldn't handle. "It was because of you, your mother went through so much pain and died. Because of you, Darion lost himself deeper into his overzealous insanity to the Light. Because of you, Tirion Fordring is in a comma, and Avrin Morgrain is dead. Because of you, the ground at Lights Hope is drenched in blood, and whatever else disaster you've run into is because of you." His voice softened as if in comfort, he cuffed a claw under her chin forcing her to look at him. "Oh, don't look so shocked, it's just your nature, it can't be helped. Cant you see it, Vanessa? This is destiny!"

"You lie." Vanessa growled weakly, her vision going black, the death spell working its way deeper through her body.

Balnazzar leaned close to her ear, his voice a devious whisper. "Deep down, you no I'm not."

Rage, hate, and fury, filled Vanessa's being towards the Dread Lord and suddenly, the death spell didn't hurt any longer, it made her stronger.

The force of her aura blasted Balnazzar backwards into a wall, shattering it and leaving a still Dread Lord under the rubble.

Vanessa fell to her knees at such power of a spell she'd never performed in her life, but it felt wrong, and tainted. Instinctively she knew it was the power of the nether.

The paladin looked to her self aghast, terrified of what she was and what she had just done.

In a state of shock, she never even noticed the hulking Nazrethem unearth himself form the rubble, walking slowly to Vanessa. "Very impressive, your power is astounding. I knew giving you the right motivation would trigger your hibernating power. Do you see how much stronger you are when you focus on your darker nature?"

Vanessa looked up in terror, more to the Dread Lord's revelations and full release of her power than to his own form.

"Kill me." She whispered pleadingly, ashamed of what she was, the hot tears tinkling down her face, only wanting to end this horrid nightmare she now called life.

Kneeling down, he grabbed the paladin by the neck, sinking his claws into her and relishing the warm blood that dribbled down his hand, his lips contorted into a smile. "I can't, my dear, Nazrethem cannot kill Nazrethem."

Suddenly his face twisted into a sneer of disgust. "But I can tell even though you've just had a taste of true power, you shun it. How useless you are, those who fight for the Light will deny you because you have the darkness, and those who control the darkness will shun you because you're tainted with the Light. Different and dangerous, feared by all. You really are a monster."

His truthful, venomous words made Vanessa want to die, but knew she couldn't, not here, not by his hands. But what she found even more wanting than to die, she just wanted to go home, more than when she had first left Lights Hope.

Unconsciousness was overtaking her, when she felt herself become light as a feather. Vanessa barely registered Balnazzar's surprised yell as she disappeared into a dark portal. It became cold all of a sudden and she found herself drifting through a dark place.

The nether.

Around her, she could hear beings yell out in surprise, some attempting to grab at her only for the aura to defend. She only drifted here for what seemed like a few seconds before she stood in a familiar study.

Sylvanas' head shot up in surprise at a demon portal that had suddenly appeared in her study. Instantly she had her bow drawn with a special poisoned arrow ready to fire away at the first thing that came through.

Vanessa stumbled out, battered and bruised, blood leaking from her neck.

"Mistress…" Vanessa gasped weakly attempting to walk to her before tumbling to the ground unconscious.


	9. Home and Gone Again

Vanessa ran, naked, and listless through a black fetid mire. She knew she was standing in some sort of liquid but it was to dark to tell what. It was hot, so very hot, but she trudged on, even though she wanted to stop. Behind her, she could hear the smooth deep voice of her father.

"Monster. Murderer. Beast. Ruin. Destroyer…" The voice repeated in endless cycles, booming in Vanessa's ears.

So, faster she ran, but the mire impeded her greatly so much so, her legs felt leaden with weights, and still the voice was booming nearer and nearer.

The faster she tried to go, the quicker the voice appeared to be coming up. Once or twice she would dare a look back but see nothing but even more darkness threatening to engulf her.

Exhausted, weak, and hopeless, she fell into the mire's liquid. Blood.

The paladin trembled all over as she tried to rise, but the blood clung like glue and she felt herself sinking into the gore. She found her mouth engulfed with the blood, drowning her bit by bit as she sunk. A hand was the only thing sticking out as she fell out of sight. Desperately groping for something to pull her up.

And then another, someone. Hope!

It grabbed her hand pulling her out of the morass. Vanessa couched and vomited the blood that had entered her mouth, her eyes trying to penetrate the darkness to see who had pulled her out.

The blackness couldn't hide this creature; it towered over Vanessa smiling with glistening white fangs and azure eyes.

It was herself as a Nazrethem.

Vanessa screamed sitting straight up in her bed.

"Peace, Vanessa, you're safe." Kenton said soothingly, grabbing the paladin by her shoulders.

The girl's eyes shot wildly around, she was back in her old room in the Undercity, everything looking the same as when she had left. The familiar sights of the warm burgundy colored walls, and the roaring fireplace gave her a little strength to control the fear that had bubbled up inside her.

Vanessa took a few moments to catch her breath; she was wet with sweat and trembling. Her eyes looked to the warrior frightened, something Kenton hadn't seen since the young girl had arrived 13 years ago.

"K-Kenton." She whispered hopefully, desperately wishing this wasn't another hellish nightmare.

"Yes it's me, now lay back down." He ordered soothingly.

Turning to a nightstand he picked up a glass, pressing it to her lips. "Drink."

She did so, gulping down the cool water hungrily. Kenton chuckled slightly, refilling the glass. "Sylvanas will be glad to hear your fevers broken; you had us worried there for a couple of days."

"Days?" Vanessa echoed confused, and Kenton nodded.

"Yes, you came back in awful bad shape. Very close to death."

He stood up from the chair next to the bed, wiping his hand on his shirt. "Get some rest for now, Sylvanas will see you when she can sneak away."

Vanessa arched an eyebrow, even though she felt herself falling back into slumber. "Sneaking about her own city?"

"That brown brute Garrosh is looking for you." Kenton mumbled quietly, making sure the paladin fell asleep.

The night herb in the water would make sure she slept without any dreams. He pulled the blanket further over her, smiling sadly an in relief. It was good to have her home again, but what had happened while she was away that had so hurt her?

A fierce protection for Vanessa washed over Kenton, and he swore silently then to do what ever need be to protect her from harm.

Sylvanas stalked into the room late in the night. The Kor'kron elites were probably neck deep in roast boar, and ale by now, making it perfect for an hour or two to slip away.

Vanessa's eyes opened slowly, and she fought off slumber. "Mistress." she mumbled sleepily attempting to sit up, but fell back still to weak for such actions.

The Dark Lady quickly made way to the chair by the bed. She was silent for long minutes before shaking her head slightly. "What have you been up to, Vanessa?"

Was that disapproval Vanessa caught in her voice? The paladins fears she'd had hours before meeting Genn Greymane came surging back, would Sylvanas think of her differently?

Licking her dry lips Vanessa looked on pleadingly to the Dark Lady. "Do I have to tell you?"

Sylvanas sighed tiredly, brushing a hand through Vanessa's hair. "You know the answer to that already. This is much bigger than just you now, very powerful forces have been alerted to your existence."

Thoughts about simply lying about what had happened entered Vanessa's mind briefly, but Sylvanas had never been cruel to her, whatever she asked it was for a good reason, not simple curiosity.

"Speak." Sylvanas ordered gently, sitting back in the chair and crossing her arms.

Vanessa swallowed hard, before speaking. The words came out shaky and tearful as she explained her entire adventure to Sylvanas.

She told of Darren and Light's Hope, of Greymane, and Balnazzar. Sylvanas listened silently her ashen face never shifting. By the time she was done, many tears had fallen from Vanessa, who curled up miserable in her own depression.

"So let me get this straight, you are the last in line for the Gilnean crown and daughter of one of the demons who designed to cast this world into utter darkness."

With a sigh of despair, Vanessa turned away from Sylvanas her voice all but a whisper. "Yes. You should have put me down the day you found me. I am a monster."

"Vanessa, I expressly forbid you to talk like that about yourself, as if you were some sort of dangerous animal." Sylvanas replied sharply, and then softened. "Whatever happens, I wont ever regret brining you here."

"Even though you know what I am now?" Vanessa asked dubiously, daring to turn around and face Sylvanas once more.

It sounded childish but Vanessa was through caring. All she wanted was for things to go back to how they used to be, but knew it impossible.

Sylvanas furrowed her brows, brushing Vanessa's cheek. "Is that what you were afraid of, that I would think differently of you? Well, your revelations have changed things, but I don't think of you any different, Vanessa. Correct me if I am wrong, but the Dread Lord nor the Gilnean raised you, I did."

For the first time since she arrived, Vanessa smiled, her fears tucked away and forgotten at the moment. "You don't know how relived I am to hear that, mistress. It is so very good to be home."

Sylvanas frowned at that, leaning away from the paladin. "You cant stay here, Vanessa." She stated quietly.

The girl's brief look of hope was instantly turned into one of sadness once more. "Garrosh?" She asked hypothetically.

"Yes." Sylvanas nodded, curling her fist angrily. "If he finds you here he will take you and order you to use your powers for the Hordes many armies."

"He cant order me to do anything." Vanessa said stubbornly. "I only take orders from you, mistress."

"Which is precisely why if he finds you the Forsaken will have a more overburdened strain with their allies" Sylvanas clarified. "I can't have that happen, Vanessa, if he finds you; I will order you to do as he wishes. This is why you need to leave soon."

The paladin bit her lips slightly a hopeful glimmer in her eye. "If you freed me, mistress, then I could stay at sanctuary in your lands and Garrosh couldn't do a thing about it."

The Dark Lady sighed, to what seemed to Vanessa in agitation. "You know I won't do that, Vanessa. You are too valuable to me. What kind of leader would I be if I let the most powerful paladin this world has ever seen out of my grasp?"

Vanessa felt at her wits end, home again, only to have to see it off once more, and even after she had some back, still Sylvanas refused to free her.

"Where will I go?" She asked the Dark Lady lowly.

"Some place that brute will never look for you and you will be out of his reach if he does." Sylvanas said slyly a smirk creeping to her pale features. "Outland."


	10. No Escaping It

_A-N: I wrote this chapter a few days ago, I was just to lazy to put it up. Sorry for the wait._

~8~8~

Shattrath, home to the good and the bad. The rich and the poor. Cowards and courageous folk alike. Established as a haven for people of all walks of life the vast, ramshackle town was ruled by strange beings known as Naaru and a human sorcerer named Khadgar. It was a place all where all were welcomed, where factional ties mattered not, and fighting was prohibited, making it a perfect place for hiding.

The Worlds End tavern bristled with patrons late in the night. Adventures, coming back to the city, hefted over flowing mugs of beer in a toast of their victories and fallen comrades, cheering and laughing uproariously.

Those fortune had not favored, sat hunched over their mugs brooding quietly and cursing their ill luck or keeping an eye out for a greenling they could con out of their gold.

The tavern was filled with the sweet smells of Hookah smoke, the musty odor of sweat, and freshly cooked dishes wafting through the air. Musicians played their pieces the notes drifting through the smoky air and up to the rafters, barely overheard by the dull roar of patrons.

Vanessa sat in a dark corner of the dimly lit tavern, her hair was pulled back, and her face mostly covered by a black cloaks hood. Her armor and weapon lay wrapped up in a bag by her feet, as she thought it a bad idea to leave anything lying around in this shadier part of the vast city.

She slowly sipped a Thunder brew malt, brooding over every swallow of the fiery liquid. A hand bitterly went to the new collar that had been placed about her neck. Yes, she knew what Sylvanas had said it was for, 'to help control her abilities and to track her in case she got in trouble'.

While this one, as the last she'd had, might be broken, it was at least something so she wouldn't accidentally blast a poor person to bits just because she felt slightly threatened. It was true, Vanessa had no real control over her powers, they spiked when they wanted, and she had no clue how to trigger the more threatening spells with out the collar. Even though with out it on, her aura was powerful enough to defeat many of her opponents.

Yet still a part of her thought Sylvanas had it put on as a reminder that no matter where she went or how free she felt, Vanessa was still a slave.

The thought made Vanessa grimace and she took a deeper pull of the Thunder brew malt. She decided to distract herself from such thoughts by taking interest in the many different patrons that called the World's End tavern home for the night.

Mostly Dranei, the Naaru's favored people, the towering blue creatures were mostly guards off duty and looking for some time to relax. A few Blood Elves, some working the bar, others taking order from the patrons. Bird men, known as Arrakoa, estranged from their barbaric kin and wind traders sitting with their respective peoples, chatting quietly. A few Garadar orcs sat to her left at another table, probably coming from their village in Nagrand to trade wares. To her right sat a human, Dranei, and Night Elf, huddled close together.

Vanessa saw what was happening immediately, an instinctively tensed, her eyes glancing to the orcs on her left. These were no regular village orcs, upon closer inspection, Vanessa could pick out details of the orcs that would have befitted soldiers, not simple clansmen. They way they addressed one another, and sat even, all gave clues to who they really were. Kor'kron.

The Alliance on the other side of her were doing a supremely worse job at hiding the fact they were soldiers. At first Vanessa had thought them some foolish adventures, fresh out of training, going to make a name for themselves, but now she could see the dangerous situation she was sitting right in the middle of.

Betraying none of the revelations of her face, she continued sipping the brew, her foot slowly sliding her bags to her. She was however surprised the two factions had managed to trail her so fast. Perhaps Sylvanas had underestimated how bad the king and Warchief wanted her.

One of the orcs were the first to rise, he stretched his arms and yawned loudly as if he were tired and slightly drunk. He began walking towards Vanessa's direction pretending to stumbled about her table.

His jerky motion caused the table to rattle inadvertently spilling some of the ale.

"Watch it, orc," She growled, one hand under the table, clutching her blade.

"Or you'll do what, slave?" The orc replied, he smiled, thinking he had surprised the paladin. "We know who you are, and so does the Warchief, make it easy on yourself and come with us."

"You think you and your friends over there can take me?" She asked incredulously nudging her head to the orcs partners.

The orc kept smiling, shaking his head, "Have a closer look at the patrons, slave."

Vanessa's eyes flashed across the Inn once more, this time she saw it. Half the patrons were Horde soldiers, the other Alliance. These soldiers, of course, were not like the Kor'kron or si:7 agents. These were the mercenary type, who worked for gold and other things to scratch out a living for themselves. Not only were they the more dangerous soldier, but they blended in well, explaining to Vanessa why she hadn't noticed before.

Garrosh had sent a whole company of champions to bring her in, as it appeared king Varian had as well.

She cast her gaze back down at the orc, looking at him in disbelief, "Your pig of a Warchief didn't think it would be this easy to capture me, did he?"

"Is this foul cur bothering you, My Lady?" The human from the other table interrupted, his hand gripping the orcs shoulder tightly. With the orc sprawled at the front of her table, he had probably it seen an opportunity to get close to his target.

Vanessa could have broken out into laughter, two spies so close together and neither knew it.

She shook her head, slightly smirking. "No, no, just a Horde spy trying to capture me."

Orc and human looked to one another in surprise. They both came to the realization Vanessa had already come to minuets ago.

The orc threw the first swing, landing a jaw shattering blow to the humans face, and the fighting between the two faction burst out in full frenzied force.

Cloaks were thrown off; showing pristinely cared for weapons and armor on all the soldiers. In mere minuets the raucous Tavern was transformed into a bloody battle ground.

Blood sprayed in every direction, people were thrown across the large room, breaking tables and using chairs and broken glass bottles as weapons.

Vanessa sighed slinging her bag and weapon on her back, and making strait way to the door, with all the chaos, and so deep in their hatreds, nobody was even paying attention to her anymore.

She got about half way, dodging arrows and a bottle of beer, when the real guards burst in, the mage Khadgar in the lead.

The elderly wizard's warm brown eyes sternly looked over the fray. Murmuring a spell, all save Vanessa became frozen in place.

The arch mage put a hand on his hips shaking his head slowly. "Warchief Garrosh and King Varian should both be ashamed of themselves, they both know the rules of Shattrath. All are welcomed in this city; if a danger persist that we should know about they must come with a formal request for us to look into it."

The elderly Arch mage motioned for the captain of the guard that tailed him, whispering. With a nod, the Dranei barked out orders to his troops as they began untangling the Horde and Alliance foes.

Khadgar turned to Vanessa flashing her a soft smile. "And you must be Vanessa."

"How did you know?" The paladin asked unable to resist smiling herself.

He began to walk out in the clear night and beckoned Vanessa to follow. "We here in Outland are not ignorant of the world outside this one. As I've heard you've caused quite a stir on Azeroth."

"Yea…well…" The paladin rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly wondering what the leader of Shattrath thought.

Khadgar chuckled looking back to Vanessa. "It's not my place to judge, you Vanessa, what's done is done."

"Where are we going anyway?" She asked falling into step beside the arch mage.

Khadgar smiled widely chuckling. "Some one desires to meet you very much."

The pair worked their way from the slums. Taking long winding paths and ramps higher and higher to the crest of the city.

The huge temple sitting in the middle of the city briefly took Vanessa aback, even from here she could feel the aura of light the permeated the sacred place.

Vanessa took off her cloaks hood walking numbly into the sanctuary in awe of the sheer power of the light.

Inside, paladins devout to protecting Shattrath and defeating the Legion sat around the dais of the room. They all looked at the soft white light in the center where soothing melodious noise emanated.

A soft wondrous voice entered Vanessa's head sending a pleasant tingling sensation through her. "_Hello, Vanessa, my name is A'dal, welcome to Shattrath."_

"_Thank you, mighty A'dal, but being here I feel unworthy to stand in your presence." _Vanessa replied humbly in her mind.

She couldn't help but smile upon hearing a noise Vanessa took akin to the Naaru as laughter.

"_There is no need to feel unworthy, my child, all are equal here, in Shattrath…yet, I feel a sadness about you, Vanessa. What could make a woman of your caliber caught in such despair?"_

"_I wish I could tell you."_ Vanessa sighed inwardly.

"_Step towards my light, child." _The gentle voice bade her. _"If you cannot tell me, perhaps I can soothe your tortured soul."_

The crowd of paladins let Vanessa pass, as she walked reverently to the Naaru. Spinning and glowing a warm white light, it began to chime a different sweet tune that nearly made Vanessa want to hum along.

She knelt towards the creature and immediately felt a warmth envelope her; tousling her hair, permeating her body wrapping her in a cocoon of hope and safety.

Vanessa closed her eyes, allowing herself to be totally engulfed by the presences of the Naaru; there was nothing its light didn't touch. This was perfect, it let Vanessa know the light still excepted and loved her.

The light suddenly went black, dropping Vanessa like a stone. The warmth was turned to a deathly cold, and Vanessa backed away from the Naaru in shock.

From the bottom up, the light of the Naaru began to grow black, as if something were covering it with a dark paint.

Vanessa, as all the paladins and Khadgar watched in horror. A'dal's spinning became faster as the blackness grew, until he was all but a black and white blur. Everyone covered their eyes as the light and dark flashes were nearly blinding. And suddenly, it stopped.

A shrill ringing echoed through out the temple and everyone covered their ears in pain. The Naaru had become a midnight black, its voice permeating every mind in Shattrath.

"_Death. Despair. Chaos. Hate. The end comes, drowning in blood and sorrow! Fear. Wrath…"_

The vile words were spoken almost in a jumble, never ending as the temple began to quake sending plates of metal and stone falling from the arched roof.

"That girl has done something to A'dal!" A paladin yelled through the chaos.

"The whole place is coming down!" Another cried out.

In every direction, paladins were being crushed by the rubble their blood making the going treacherous, and slow to escape.

Vanessa barely dodged a hunk of black ceiling as she went crashing to the floor, only to roll out the way of an extremely sharp purple shard. When she got up on her feet, Khadgar was staring at her, totally oblivious to the wreak around him.

He shook his head in disbelief. "What did you do?"

She wanted to answer, had she a clue what had gone on, and if there hadn't been a huge slab of stone barreling from above, one she couldn't dodge. With her suppressed power, she knew she couldn't live through this.

A clawed hand dug into her shoulder yanking her backwards, and the crumbling temple of Shattrath disappeared to a dark void.


	11. All In the Family

At first, Vanessa thought she had died, for it appeared as such. Darkness all around, and permeating cold that cut to the bone. It reeked of death and chaos, nearly choking.

Vanessa fell to her knees weakly, the ground was barren and like the air, cold. She stood on a plateau seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Other large hunks of rock drifted around the eternal darkness that surrounded her, and she briefly pondered was this where the Light abandon those who it did not find worthy.

"I certainly did nab you out of there in the knick of time." Balnazzar chuckled behind Vanessa.

The paladin shot up, turning around so sharply it momentarily made her head whirl.

Balnazzar stood quiet at ease behind Vanessa, her bag and weapon at his hooves. Two burly arms were crossed and the look on his face was one of amusement.

"I am surprised you needed my aid at all, but your powers appear to have been diminished somewhat."

He took a step forward and Vanessa backed away. "Stay back, I don't know what you've done, but you will pay!"

"Me?" Balnazzar pointed a claw to his black battle plate genuinely surprised. "My girl, all I did was save your life."

She continued to back up shaking her head. "No, you did something to the Naaru, monster!"

"Don't blame it on me, Vanessa." The Dread Lord smiled evilly. "It was your essence that corrupted A'dal, as his own entwined with yours attempting to comfort you, no less. Something in my endless centuries I have never seen. My child corrupted and killed a Naaru. You continue to make me so proud of you."

She kept backing up away from the still Dread Lord, making room in case he attacked, and shaking her head slowly.

No, it wasn't true, Vanessa told herself, just another hurtful lie her father was attempting to make her believe. She followed the light devoutly; surely the good would over come the evil. It had to…for many weeks it had been her only solace with the new revelations of her lineage.

Vanessa screamed as she went tumbling off the edge of the plateau she and her father stood on, but Balnazzar caught her by the arm digging his claws into her as he hoisted her up and cursing her lack of awareness profusely.

Looking into his cold blue eyes, Vanessa instinctively knew she had gotten her own from him, they mirrored his perfectly.

Vanessa shut her eyes, keeping back tears and forcing herself to look away from him, as blood leaked down her arm and on to the Dread Lords claws.

Who was she trying to kid?

The paladin sighed in despair, not even attempting to fight Balnazzar away, she knew the first moment A'dal had been corrupted, she had been the one to do it. She never considered, while the Naaru's light was comforting her, it would touch the blackness that was there and infect it, in a way. It was a fact that stung the paladin to her core.

Usually Balnazzar would have delighted to watch the torment raging in Vanessa, but there were more important things on hand than just fun, a champion for the Legion hung in the balance.

He nodded, speaking to himself quietly. "Yes, your powers have been greatly reduced, I wonder…ah, I see."

The Dread Lord hooked a claw under the thin bronze colored collar, grimacing. "A slave? Who would be stupid enough to do such a thing?"

He murmured a spell leeching out the magic, for his own and also identifying the one who had cast it.

The Dread Lord couldn't help but smile as he shattered the item in his iron grip. "Sylvanas. My that name does seem to stay with our family, doesn't it, Vanessa?"

The paladin didn't reply, it appeared to Balnazzar she wasn't listening or didn't even care.

Sighing in annoyance the Nazrethem shook his head. "Well come along, Vanessa, it's time to go home."

"What are you talking about?." She asked quietly, turning away from the Dread Lord. Wrapping her arms around herself to help ward off the cold, her shoulders slumped in misery.

The Dread Lord snorted contemptuously. "Home, silly girl, where one lives."

"Where ever you call home is defiantly not where I do." She replied to him but her words were uncaring.

He shrugged. "It's where you belong, with your kind. Who else would have you, Vanessa, after what you've done, knowing what you are? Come with me, I will teach you control of your gifts, and show you how you could live."

"No." She replied firmly. "I am going back to Shattrath to aid their peoples for the disaster I caused."

The Dread Lord laughed shaking his head pityingly. "Let me show you something, girl."

He produced two tiny crystals laying them on the barren rock, they glowed a bright green and created a sort of window.

"Before you escaped my clutches the first time, I cast what you mortals call an Eye of Kilrogg on your person. I had a hard time tracking you until your arrival in Shattrath. After that delightful little disaster with A'dal, I snuck the eye in the city. So busy with the clean up, they wont notice it till far to late." He explained.

Vanessa turned around in curiosity as a picture began to appear.

Two figures of Khadgar and the captain of the guard came into view, the debris and dust still billowing upward made the scene slightly hard to see, but the noise around came in loud and clear.

Khadgar sat on the crumbled ruin of the dais, his head in his hands. Robes torn and bloodied; shoulder's heaving with sobs.

The captain paced franticly, curling his mustache around a finger for lack of anything better to do. "I knew one day, A'dal would become to trusting. To allow that…that…beast access to him without any knowledge of who it was! We don't even know what else she could have done here!"

"No." Vanessa uttered breathless taking a step forward as if they could see and hear her. "I didn't mean it, I couldn't help it!" She shrieked pleadingly the tears running freely now.

Balnazzar dismissed the window and Vanessa put her head down in shame, curling her fist in determination. "I need to go back, and show them I am not a… monster."

The words she had used on her father minuets ago came ricocheting back, causing her to physically wince.

Balnazzar laughed cruelly. "For one, how do you plan on getting there? You don't even know how you got here the first time. And what makes you think they won't attack instead of rejoice in your help?" He crept closer to her speaking gently. "I can teach you control, how to travel between this world, Outland, an Azeroth, and much more. After I've taught you, you can choose to stay or leave. If you don't except you'll be stuck here forever, or until you can figure it out on your own, which could take nether knows how long."

When she didn't reply, Balnazzar turned from Vanessa, walking away slowly. He smiled when he heard her scurry to grab her bag and follow. She fell easily into step with him, shouldering her bag, her voice strained with distress. "I do need to learn control. I will accept your offer, but I will always be loyal to the Light, no matter what curse taints me. You'll be wasting your time."

Balnazzar turned slightly to her chuckling fondly, "My dear, you don't seem to understand, while you're with me I will attempt to make you a champion of the Legion, but I truly don't care who you fight for. The nature of a Nazrethem is to cause death and destruction. It's who we are. We may fight on different spectrums but both of us still cling to our natures. I will never truly consider you my enemy, no, as long as you cause chaos in your wake, you will just be Nazrethem. Albeit a strange one, but a Nazrethem no less."

"Where are we going?" Vanessa asked, desperate to change the subject, the more Balnazzar talked the more she was beginning to believe him.

"Home, Vanessa. To meet your uncles, and witness the glorious life that could be yours." The Dread Lord replied happily.

He uttered a spell, Vanessa couldn't quite catch and a dark portal opened before them. Balnazzar turned to her, making a beckoning gesture as he disappeared inside.

Vanessa looked at the portal for long minuets, she knew if she went through, all her teachings and following of the Light would be tested, but what other choice did she have?

Horde and Alliance were searching for her, all of Shattrath probably had a hit out on her head, she couldn't go back home, the Crusade would never accept her. Perhaps Balnazzar's words had some truth to them.

Taking a deep breath, the paladin steeled herself. Sword drawn as she walked through.

Vanessa stepped out to a large open balcony overlooking a dark place only illuminated by sickish green felfire spurting from gashes in the land and the blinding flash of a inferno demon making a landing from the black sky. The air was thick with hints of fel magic and ash.

From below, demons of every sort milled about the area like moths drawn to light, they stood their as if waiting.

Balnazzar watched the scene from below, right beside Vanessa grinning. "Welcome to the Black Temple in Shadowmoon Valley." He chuckled slightly. "Ironic isn't it, the man that used to rule this place was a lot like you. He meant well at first, but his…'inner demons' got the best of him. However he was weak. Now we rule this place, silent and biding our time. Now that you've killed A'dal we've no need to fear anyone being sent from Shattrath."

The Dread Lord, turned and began walking to a door that led to the lower portion of the temple. Vanessa gave a surrendering sigh, forcing herself to look away and followed.

A few short imps spotted the pair first. The little demons, jumped and did back flips as they ran to them, the felfire beneath their feet flickering in excitement.

Vanessa began to raise her blade, but a firm hand from Balnazzar halted her.

"Watch." He smiled superiorly as the demons drew closer.

The first one, a tad taller than the rest stopped abruptly right at Balnazzar's hooves, in bowed itself speaking in a quick voice. "Have you brought us a new plaything, master?" It asked hopefully its eyes dancing in cruel anticipation.

The Dread Lord shook his head slowly, before crushing the imp under his hoof in a splat of blood and bone.

Vanessa turned away in disgust, but none else seemed to take note or care, though she did notice nobody asked twice.

"This is my daughter," He explained casually while drawing a sharp glare from Vanessa.

"I am not your daughter." She snarled.

If the Dread Lord heard Vanessa, he ignored her, continuing. "You serve her as well now."

He fell silent and the imps turned to her, expectantly.

Her rage was instantly replaced by surprise and confusion. "Um…as you were?" She stumbled, not sure what to do or say to them.

The imps bowed to them both and scurried off once more.

"Do you see that, Vanessa? Utter obedience. Thrilling when your on the other half of the spectrum isn't it? Master instead of slave." Balnazzar said as they continued walking through the monolithic temple.

Two figures just as huge as their brother stood at the doors leading to what looked like a training ground. Balnazzar put a hand on Vanessa shoulder, smiling in a devious yet proud way. "This, brothers, is my daughter, Vanessa, the one who could very well bring the glorious chaos to Azeroth in the name of the Legion."

He looked down to Vanessa proffering a hand to the Nazrethem who were glaring their disapproval. "My brothers, Tichondrious and Varimatheras, Vanessa."

"She looks weak, brother, are you sure she was the one that killed the Naaru or did it finally choke on all the warmth and love crap it emanated?" Tichondrious asked disdainfully.

"An if she's as powerful as you claim, why haven't we been alerted to her presence sooner?" Varimatheras snorted his voice hinting agitation and mistrust.

Vanessa turned to Varimatheras smiling coldly. "I know of you, Varimatheras. My mistress, Sylvanas, used to tell me your story all the time when I was a child, it was one of my favorites. The best part was when you were defeated and dragged in front of her in chains, forced to grovel and beg in the dust at her feet for your pathetic life."

Tichondrious had to hold a furious Varimatheras back as Balnazzar had to restrain Vanessa. Both Dread Lords were roaring in cruel laughter.

"It appears that dead elf cannot help enslaving our kin, isn't that right, Vari?" Balnazzar chuckled.

"If I recall, you two didn't fare so grandly either." Vanessa added on, shrugging the Nazrethem away.

"A minor miscalculation," Balnazzar replied. "We underestimated Sylvanas, and that was our temporary down fall. But believe me when I say, Nazrethem do not make the same mistake twice."

"It was a mistake to bring her here, Balnazzar." Varimatheras growled in rage. "For six long years I worked for Sylvanas. Her cunning and guile is only out measured by her brilliance and determination, if she raised this girl then there's no telling what she's capable of."

Tichondrious rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Come now, Vari, don't be so over dramatic simply because Balnazzar's spawn hurt your feelings."

Varimatheras shook his head, turning to leave. "Laugh now, as we did when Sylvanas turned down our offer to join us. I'll have nothing to do with this fiasco."

Balnazzar watched his brothers walk away sighing. "Well on to your first lesson, Vanessa."

The smell inside the main chamber of the temple made Vanessa reel, it made Gort the abomination smell like a field of daisies.

Dried blood coated everything, bones lay in little piles picked clean of flesh making Vanessa wonder what exactly demons ate.

Dread Lord and paladin walked through an endless maze of hallways and doors, so much so, Vanessa was sure had she been asked to come back out she would have been utterly lost.

The pair arrived at something that looked like desecrated sanctuary. Cobwebs clung thickly on everything transforming all into a ghostly white. Pews had been over turned and broken, and the altar and dais showed signs of battle.

"Here is where the lost one, Akama, regained his soul." Balnazzar explained as he walked to the altar.

"Showing there is still hope for me." Vanessa said lowly, looking around.

The Dread Lord grabbed the large stone altar, with one soft grunt heaving the stone top off it revealing a musty tomb.

He chuckled slightly, but did not turn to the paladin. "Akama was weak minded and not a half demon. Besides the Legion was weakened and he had a whole room of champions to help him."

Reaching through cobwebs and mounds of black dust and bones, the Nazrethem pulled out a horrendous tome.

He blew on it raising the dust, and brushed it off before walking to Vanessa. The tome was knitted together with skin and the spine looked like it was actually made of a spine, dark runes scrawled in blood covered the casing.

Vanessa backed away in horror as the Dread Lord held it out to her.

"What in the Light's name is that?" The paladin asked in disgust.

Balnazzar smiled cruelly. "A dark Libram, the last of its kind. Filled with every spell you need to know.

Vanessa shook her head stubbornly and Balnazzar growled in agitation. "Do you really think you will be made a master paladin, after what you've done? A Libram of the Light will forever be out of your reach. We Nazrethem have immortality to learn our powers, you, I am guessing, do not. Either take this, or there will be no use in training you."

Was he right? Was this her fate to wield the dark magic no matter how much she fought it? Would her own 'inner demons' be allowed to take control? But again, she thought desperately, what choice did she have?

Vanessa sighed sounding very, very tired she slowly took the book, and felt Goosebumps rise on her flesh as the sensation of evil ran through her, the holy magic inside of her screaming in protest.

She glared at the tome, and then to Balnazzar. "I hate you, I hate this place, everything in it, and I hate this Libram." She stated coldly. "Nothing will ever, ever, change that."

The Dread Lord chuckled, beckoning Vanessa to follow. He placed a clawed hand on her shoulder, and was surprised when she did not shrug him away. "Hate. That's always a good place to start…"


	12. Reflections

Snow in Tirisfal glade lay in thick blankets along the ruins of Lorderan. Under the ruins, the inhabitants of the forgotten city sat by roaring fires, safe and sound from winters icy breath.

Even wasting away and crumbling, Lorderan looked enchanting covered in the powdery flakes.

Sylvanas walked slowly through the ruins, clad in heavy silver clothes she almost appeared to blend in with the gray and whites, as she nimbly avoiding jutting pieces of old debris that lay nearly hidden.

Long, long ago when she was ranger general of Quel'thalas, and the blood elves were in the Alliance, she liked making trips to the human kingdoms in the winter. Snow was a rarity in the elven lands.

She had enjoyed the sights of smoke billowing from the fireplaces of the neat little cottages in the human villages and hearing the bells on horses pulling carts loaded with people, their voices muffled behind heavy wraps of scarves and cloaks.

Vanessa loved snow…

The Dark Lady donned a sad smile remembering the first time Vanessa had actually seen snow. It was the year she had come to live in the Undercity.

_Vanessa blue eyes widened in awe and she stopped to gaze at the white flakes drifting down from the clouded sky. She instinctively drew closer to Sylvanas unsure what was happening. _

"_What is it, mistress?" She asked in surprise._

_Sylvanas chuckled stroking the girls long raven hair tenderly. "Snow, Vanessa. We usually get a lot of it in the winter time. The young girl took off a glove and held out her hand, a few flakes landed on her open palm and dissolved instantly. _

"_It's cold." She revealed to Sylvanas who couldn't resist a smile._

_She nodded looking around the ruins. "Yes, and very soon all you see will be covered in heavy blankets of snow." _

_A light dusting had already coated the ground and Vanessa looked up to Sylvanas expectantly. "Could we come back up to see when that happens, mistress?"_

"_Of course, child." Sylvanas replied, as they continued walking on._

The memory faded and Sylvanas shook her head slightly. From then on, Vanessa had been enchanted by snow, when ever she had a few free hours always going above the Undercity to play.

Sylvanas could recall clearly, watching the girl from a dark corner, and laughing quietly at her antics as she tossed handfuls of snow into the sky and threw snowballs at rats that scurried about. Even as she grew older she would come up here to simply stare at the quiet beauty of it all.

A pang of guilt hit Sylvanas and she stopped in her tracks. For two years now, the girl had been missing, and still not a day went by she didn't cross her mind at some point. The feelings of guilt were instantly replaced by anger against herself and Vanessa. Why should she feel guilty about a slave? The girl had no right to her freedom. She was lucky Sylvanas had shown her the privilege that she did!

Sylvanas cursed herself for not seeing what Vanessa was up to sooner, she was just waiting for a chance to bolt.

The crunch of snow under plate boots alerted the Dark Lady to another presence, and she sighed. "Really Kenton, why does it always appear you follow me, even in the safety of my own kingdom?"

"My job is to protect you, My Lady; you of all people should know danger can lurk behind every corner." He replied humorously stopping a few feet behind Sylvanas.

He shrugged looking around the ruins. "Oddly enough I wasn't following you. I came up here to look at the snow."

Sylvanas snorted disdainfully. "You hate snow; it turns your armor into an ice box and makes your bones ache. Your words, not mine."

The warrior took a handful of snow bringing it close to his face, making out a few singular patterns in the flakes. "Over the years I learned to like it." He laughed before turning to Sylvanas raising a hairless brow. "You're thinking of Vanessa as well."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Sylvanas replied icily, turning away from Kenton. "I came out here because the court was stifling with all those filthy orcs wandering about and their smell didn't help."

The warrior gave a quiet sigh; tilting his head up to a few flakes that were beginning to drift from the sky. "I remember when Vanessa would always come back shivering cold and wet, from playing up here, but with a smile on her face."

As much as Sylvanas was loath to admit it, they were endearing memories, ones that made Sylvanas want smile but she fought through dwelling on her anger.

A disturbing thought entered Sylvanas' mind and she furrowed her brows slightly. "Now that you mention her, do you think by me, wanting to keep Vanessa close, I inadvertently pushed her away?"

The warrior was silent for a moment before nodding. "I think she was confused that you showed her so much kindness, and you knew she would always be loyal. Yet when life became something more than staying in the Undercity…"

"I pulled her in instead of letting her go." Sylvanas concluded with a dry, humorless laugh.

"You were afraid." The warrior stated evenly drawing a sneer from Sylvanas.

Before she could comment, Kenton shrugged. "There is no shame in admitting it. You were afraid, all those emotions that bubbled up inside you when Vanessa started living here, would die away again, and you would become that cold numb person that you hate."

Sylvanas curled her fist angrily, snapping at the warrior. "I don't fear anything, Kenton. Besides, I had every right to keep Vanessa close to me, she is my property, and that's all she ever was. Now she is simply an escaped slave. I'll admit she made me grow fond of her briefly, I didn't see her for what she was, probably due to her demon lineage. Now that she's gone I know the truth. "

"You don't believe that." Kenton replied calmly with a shake of the head. "She meant more to you than a simple slave girl. You prove it now by allowing anger to combat the loneliness and sadness that is dwelling in your heart."

Sylvanas stared at Kenton in disbelief, to have the warrior speak so bluntly and seemingly in no fear of her wrath.

"Shut up." The Dark Lady growled pushing past the warrior, and striding angrily back into the depths of the Undercity.

When Kenton was out of sight, Sylvanas ran a hand through her silver hair, fuming silently as she walked back into the crumbling upper court of the ruins.

The dim light that filtered through the old court and the eerie, quietly echoing noises, triggered a memory from years ago.

_Vanessa dragged the Dark Lady eagerly by the hand through the ruined court. Every now and again she would give an extra tug as if Sylvanas wasn't going fast enough. Sylvanas held back a sigh as she allowed the girl to pull her through the Undercity. _

"_Really Vanessa, I am the Banshee Queen. What would people say if they saw me playing in snow like a child?" She hid a smile at the girl who tilted her head up to the Dark Lady. _

"_You promised if I learned my Blessing of Kings Spell correctly, you'd go out and play with me, mistress." The girl stated with all the seriousness a seven year old could muster. _

_Vanessa had been trying to get Sylvanas to come with her for days. In a fit of annoyance, Sylvanas had promised her she would go if she learned the spell, something she had been sure was far beyond the girl expertise. Amazingly, she had accomplished it in a matter of days. _

_The girl ground to a halt looking up to Sylvanas with her azure eyes pleadingly. Sylvanas sighed shaking her head, and letting a smile creep to her black lips. "Let it never be said, the Banshee Queen did not keep her promises. I suppose 30 minuets wouldn't be terrible." _

The memory faded, and Sylvanas couldn't resist a smile, 30 minuets had turned into the rest of the day_. _Playing with her, and teaching the young girl how to track and survive in the snow, skills Sylvanas never truly needed, but as a ranger general, had none the less.

Shaking the memory off, Sylvanas frowned. She should have never allowed the slave to get so close to her. Making sure the girl stayed a tool for her own ends should have been the extent of her contact with Vanessa.

Murmuring something incomprehensible, more than likely a curse, the Dark Lady continued to make her way back into the Undercity.

Orc guards glared at her, but saluted as she passed. The ride down the elevator seemed to last forever and Sylvanas nearly ran out when at last it opened at the bottom.

The sharp glint in her sanguine eyes averted any of her loyal subjects from addressing her as she walked leisurely through her city. It would give her time to conjure up more anger to combat the memories that seemed to be plaguing her today.

The shouts and clashes around the war quarter made Sylvanas smile, the thoughts about Vanessa fading briefly. It did her proud to see so many of her people training for war against the Alliance.

Garrosh was a barbarous idiot but he did have a certain goal Sylvanas agreed with him one hundred percent. Azeroth belonged to the Horde.

As she came into view of the soldiers working their techniques against training dummies, her mind roved back to Vanessa.

Teenage Vanessa… the thought caused Sylvanas grimaced. That had been a challenge; she had never been so confounded by anything.

Most days she was perfectly fine, but others…well, she was a teenager. Truly, it had only been some days in her training, where attitudes and rebelling appeared the most, but it was those times that lines of master and slave became vividly drawn.

Back then Sylvanas had hated throwing her weight around, as it were. She didn't like reminding Vanessa she was a slave, but sometimes it appeared you couldn't get the girl to do anything without tacking on some type of threat.

Another memory resurfaced.

Not every memory Sylvanas had about Vanessa were happy ones; a few, especially in her teenage years, were less than pleasant.

"_Again." Sylvanas order the paladin, her arms crossed as she looked over Vanessa who was attacking the battered training dummy. _

_Vanessa uttered a low grunt as she preformed her Crusaders Strike for what felt like the thousandth time. _

_The satisfactory muffled thump of her sword hitting the dummy's extra padded torso was lost on Vanessa who grit her teeth in agitation but said nothing. _

"_Again." The Dark Lady repeated only to have Vanessa throw her blade down._

_She turned to Sylvanas glaring angrily; sweat dripping from her forehead and breathing heavily. "You've had me at this for an hour. Doing the same move I know by heart, over an over, an over! Why?" _

"_Again." Sylvanas said calmly, but there was no mistaking the dangerous icy tone beneath the words. _

"_Give me a reason first." Vanessa growled, her fist curled in anger. _

_The Dark Lady flashed Vanessa a sly grin, nodding. "Alright."_

_With in seconds Sylvanas had her daggers drawn leaping at the weaponless paladin. Vanessa feinted to her left, dropping low to grab her blade, raising it up just in time to parry one of the daggers. The other, however managed to break through, sending a slash of pain through the paladin's arm._

_Vanessa hissed in pain, parrying like a mad woman to avoid the stings of pain Sylvanas was causing on her person. With every parry one blade got through._

"_Wait…stop…I cant…" Vanessa tried to speak but it seemed every word was met with another lash of pain. _

"_You're in the Arithai Basin, traveling the road north to the mine. All of a sudden, you're beset by the enemy, a warrior and a druid. Rushing up behind them is a warlock, and nearby in the brush, a rogue has been trailing you." Sylvanas said in that same calm voice, her onslaught never lessening as she continued her example. "You've been fighting all day, your near exhaustion. What ability are you going to use the most? The one you know best." She began to move faster now, her blades almost a blur. Vanessa arms felt numb and she bled from several wounds and still Sylvanas continued. "You cannot afford to be sloppy, you must be precise with every move." If possible she went even faster, now every move bringing back a trail of Vanessa's blood. "They wont wait or stop, they will attack with everything they've got. You must be, faster, stronger, smarter, better…"_

_Sylvanas stopped suddenly, dropping her daggers, in a flash she grabbed Vanessa by the front of her shirt. With one good pull she sent Vanessa flying across the training room. _

_Dazed, the paladin looked up to the stone ceiling, blood oozing from many wounds. Her breathing came out in sharp painful gasp and back screaming in pain. Sylvanas stood over Vanessa shaking her head. "That's why." _

_She knelt down offering a hand to Vanessa. " I make you train like this because I don't want to see you in that situation completely doomed." Looking over the girl swiftly she nodded. "No permanent damage, your wounds may hurt now but none of your injuries are life threatening. Heal yourself and lets continue with your training."_

Once again the memory receded, it dawned on her instantly that some of her people were beginning to stare. With a quiet cough, she continued walking.

Another blunder on her part, explaining herself. Sylvanas explained herself to no one, not even Kenton. To have her do so to a slave no less… She should have had the girl punished for all her teenage rebellion antics.

As she finally entered her private chambers, Sylvanas sat on the edge of her bed. She didn't come here often, once every week or so. But even undead, her body needed sleep of sorts. Right now, it was just a place to be alone.

She opened a nightstand next to the bed, a yellowing piece of folded paper catching her eye around all the knick knacks.

Picking it up, Sylvanas smiled widely as she unfolded it. A faded drawing of two stick figures holding hands, one far smaller than the other. Under the pictures words written in a child's handwriting. 'Me and Sylvanas.'

The Dark Lady sighed, her emotions roiling in turmoil.

Kenton's words came back, and Sylvanas uttered a low strangled cry. All the warriors' words were true.

To lay the truth down bluntly, Sylvanas missed the girl.

"There's nothing you can do about in now, Sylvanas." She talked to herself fighting back the sadness. "She's gone and you cant do a damned thing about it."

Crumpling the paper in her fist, she scolded herself harshly for feeling like she did.

Who knew the memories of one slave could hurt so?


	13. Torn Soul

_A/N: This is probably not my best chapter, had some major writers block first couple of days, and stuff in life going on. Anyway, enough excuses, enjoy!_

_~8~8~ _

Two Fel guards screamed in abject terror on the Black Temple training grounds. The towering, ashen gray, demons ran aimlessly, to get away from the images of holy fire coming up to consume them.

Vanessa watched with a smirk of satisfaction. To fear demons, using images of the Light, just one of the ways she had figured out how to combine her abilities.

She stood at ease, her hands resting on her sword hilt, the tip of the blade, in the hard packed defiled earth. Her silver armor had been replaced by black battle plate, not unlike her father and uncles, but far more suited to her slender form. The dark Libram hung by a chain on her hip showing signs of much use.

Usually her hair would be pulled back; today she allowed it to flutter in the vile breezes that carried fel ash and the smells of death.

With a dark word, the paladin dismissed the terror from the Fel guards. Confusion and fear were quickly changed into fury. Both demons hefted their double sided axe, mouths frothing with spittle as they charged with unholy haste directly for the paladin.

One of the Fel guards put on an extra burst of speed, wanting to beat its comrade to the fight. He raised his axe skyward, thinking when it came down, he would slice the girl in two.

Instead, he was met with a chaos bolt to the face. The force of the bolt sent the fel guards head snapping backwards with a sickening crunch, taking his head off in one blow. The headless body fell to its knees, landing inches from Vanessa's feet, its blood already beginning to be soaked up by the accursed earth.

The other demon ground to a halt and began running in the other direction. He stopped suddenly falling to the ground, still desperately trying to get away, as holy power began racking his bulk with the effects of the Exorcism spell shooting through him.

Vanessa walked up to the writhing demon slowly; she placed a steel toed boot on its back, effectively pining it from any of its futile ventures of escaping.

Over the past two years of being at the Black Temple, Vanessa had become fluent in the demon tongue. Many times to get under her skin, Balnazzar would say it came naturally.

Vanessa shook her head, her voice sounding sarcastically sad. "How long are you going to be banished to the nether this time, Galzok? Six months, a year? And you just got back yesterday."

Though in terrible pain, the demon managed to speak stuttering through clenched fangs. "S-shut up…A-and finish I-it…mutt!"

Mutt. The word made Vanessa frown and her hand tighten around her sword hilt. It's what the demons called her behind her back, neither all human nor demon.

With one vile word, the demon began to scream in pain as she began taking his black soul. The most painful way for a demon to be banished from this plane to the nether.

Galzok's body fell still, but his screams still carried on the wind.

Vanessa stared at the small black orb floating inches above her hand. A demons soul. As the small black orb began to disappear back to its owner, she briefly wondered did her soul look the same.

"Beautifully done, Vanessa. You are an artisan of death and pain." The purring deep voice of Balnazzar said from the training ground doors.

Not even looking at him, Vanessa could tell he was smiling.

Sighing she sheathed her sword, turning to face him. "You know how I enjoy killing demons. I always imagine it's you."

There was always a game of wits going on between Vanessa and Balnazzar. His was slowly trying to turn her to his way of thinking, and hers was trying very hard not to let his words have an impact on her. To act like every conversation didn't bother her was her best protection, along with putting in a jab at the Dread Lord's pride every now an again.

Balnazzar looked around, nodding, impressed at all the demon bodies that littered the training ground. "I can tell you enjoyed it, by dragging it out for as long as you did. Maybe we'll have you being a full blown torturer soon, eh? Then I and you will have a hobby we can do together."

He laughed at the fury dancing in her blue eyes, knowing he had won that round.

Vanessa walked away, mumbling curses under her breath, as she made her way inside the temple.

Instantly as she walked in, two Fel hounds leapt on the paladin.

Vanessa laughed, her conversation with Balnazzar momentarily forgotten. The two fel hounds had reddish brown fur, slavering fangs coated with slobber and tongues lolling out their mouths to lick Vanessa happily.

The beast had been thought to be ferocious even for their kind. Having killed six of their previous masters, they had been locked up, an only brought out for special occasion to rip an unfortunate demon to shreds for the others cruel amusement.

That's when Vanessa had stumbled upon them, the demons had attempted to kill her using the savage animals. But after one battle with the beasts, her being the winner, they had befriended the paladin.

From then on Vanessa had taken them as her own. She named them Taiga and Joruum, demon for Thunder and Lightening. They were as ferocious and energetic as their names!

In Taiga and Joruum, Vanessa had found kindred spirits and liked to believe they had found the same in the paladin. They were animals, demonic animals, but animals no less. They couldn't help what they were, and nobody expected them to be any different. The demons would except them and the mortals would hate them and that was the way of the world.

Vanessa lost her smile, pushing the hulking fel hounds off of her at the thought. She would never be excepted by either, her only options were to be hated or pitied at the cruel twist of fate she called existence.

Leaning against a cool stone wall, the paladin sighed, scratching the two beasts between their ears.

"You have no idea what I would give to be like you two." She smiled sadly at them.

They seemed to sense her despair and came closer attempting to cheer the paladin up with their playful antics.

Vanessa couldn't help but laugh as the pair fought for her attention, biting and clawing at each other.

The paladin gave them both a reassuring pat and stood up. Taiga and Joruum flanked Vanessa as she walked through the seemingly deserted halls ways of the Black Temple.

The few demons that were visible scrambled to get out of Vanessa's way, their heads bowed in respect. Not to her exactly, never to the 'mutt', but to the power she wielded.

Screams pierced the temple air, and Vanessa unsheathed her blade, tensing instinctively. The hounds began to howl in excitement, and the demons she had previously passed where making their way to the noise. Shrugging, Vanessa decided to see what the entire racket was about.

The demons had gathered into the main vestibule of the Black temple. Succubae seduced there way through the crowd for looks, while imps leapt on the shoulders of towering fel guards, unable to see past, the many void walker's bulk.

"Move aside", Vanessa growled, and the demons in front parted quickly, fearing the girl's, magic and blade.

It was a man standing in the middle of all the demons, he wielded a large shield that he kept up protectively about his person, the other hand holding a sword bristling blue with some form of enchantment.

How long had it been since Vanessa had seen another paladin? A better question, how did he get here?

"S-stay back!" He yelled out, swinging his weapon to keep the demons at bay.

A few of the demons teased their prey making false lunges with their weapons or slashing at the paladin. A close encounter with a Succubus' whip sent the man tumbling to the ground, it appeared all the demons were about to leap on the now utterly helpless man. Trying to get away, he backed up right into Vanessa.

"Nobody touch him!" Vanessa ordered dangerously, her eyes roving over the press of demons.

The paladin looked up to Vanessa who in turn did her best to smile reassuringly at him.

"You…" The paladin whispered in disbelief.

The helmet nearly covering all of his face couldn't hide the fear in his eyes, or the sweat the dripped from under the helm.

He scrambled away from Vanessa standing a few feet away. "You're the… thing that killed the Naaru!"

The words stung Vanessa but she shook it off momentarily, offering her hand out. "I'll get you out of here, come with me."

"No!" The man shook his head franticly. "I wont be deceived. I'd rather demons rip me to shreds than be corrupted by a beast like you!"

That was all the demons needed to hear. Vanessa watched in helpless horror as the demons fell upon him, even Taiga and Joruum leapt in for the action.

A few demons to slow to attack the man, stared at Vanessa, some even whispering.

"Did you see that, she feared the mortal without even casting a spell!"

"Perhaps she's got more demon in her than I thought!"

Praise from demons?

Tear brimmed her blue eyes, against the grisly scene awash with blood, her soul in turmoil.

Turning away she began to run, lest any of the demons see her show a sign of weakness. She ran to the only place that might grant her peace at the moment.

Over the time Vanessa had spent at the Black Temple, she had restored the sanctuary, where Akama had regained his soul, to its former glory. No demons ever came near the place, which was one of the advantages of the sanctuary.

The altar had been blessed and scrubbed clean now covered in purified moon cloth, showing at least one defiled thing that had been redeemed. The entire sanctuary was kept bright with candles she had dedicated to the Light and everything from the rafters to the darkest corners had been cleansed of demonic presences.

Except her…the thought brought the tears flowing and she fell to the dais of the altar in a heap of broken disparity.

No matter how much she blessed or cleansed she would always be tainted. She would always be that dark spot in the purified temple. It made her feel ashamed, and want to hide away so that no one would ever look upon her wretched bastard self ever again.

Through her choking sobs she spoke aloud. "Everyday, since I found out what I am, knowing what kind of power I wield. I have prayed for it to be taken away from me. And everyday my prayers goes unanswered. Is this punishment for something I've done, or are the deities getting pleasure from some sort of sick joke!"

Body racking with sobs the paladin murmured fervently. "Please, I'll do anything to have this curse taken from me." She begged quietly hands clutched tightly together wet with tears.

Somewhere behind her, Vanessa could hear the panting of the twin fel hounds coming up to sit beside her. They must have recognized her distress, and even though they hated coming here, sat beside her awaiting thinking their presence might comfort her somewhat.

They were a comfort, and Vanessa thanked whatever higher being for having brought them together. She reached out to pet the nearest, Joruum, scratching under his chin, only to bring back a hand coated with blood from the paladin.

Vanessa clenched her fist tightly, the blood being one more twist of pain to an already anguished soul. The sight caused her tears to flow once more, some mingling with the blood on her hand.

She began praying more fervently than before.

"You still implore the weak Light for favors when it obviously wants nothing to do with you." A voice interrupted Vanessa prayers in an uncaring, amused tone.

She stiffened to control her shaking form. "What do you want, Varimatheras?" Vanessa asked quietly, remaining where she was, turned away so the Dread Lord could not see her tears.

Varimatheras sat on one of the salvable pews, his wings hanging over the back and his legs crossed. He did not like this place, but the torment raging inside Vanessa made it an irresistible temptation to enter the sanctuaries holy ground.

Ever since Vanessa had come to the Black Temple Varimatheras had been a nagging thorn in her side.

He sneered in disgust at the sight of her. "Look at you, a pitiful heap at the foot of the Light; begging like a dog. What is it the other demons call you, mutt, isn't it? A fitting name."

The words hit heavily inside Vanessa whose shoulders visibly sunk lower as if under the physical weight of the words.

With a determined will, the paladin forced herself to be her calm, cunning self once more.

"Why do you hate me so?" She asked, hoping to draw off the subject of her despondency.

The Dread Lord snorted rudely, rolling his eyes. "It's not that I hate you personally, with any special passion, it is Sylvanas I loath. Therefore, since she is not present, my hate manifest's against you."

Vanessa almost managed a half hearted chuckle, the tears restrained momentarily, turning to him. "You truly haven't gotten over the sting of your defeat."

Surprisingly, the Dread Lord let the jibe slide, with a slight shrug. "No, I haven't, but I console myself knowing Sylvanas is as cunning and tactical as they come. Making me wonder what was her grand design for you."

A hint of pain flashing across Vanessa's eyes made the Nazrethem chuckle. "A tool of her wrath, no doubt. Ordering her slave to blindly slay any an every thing that stood in her path. Kind of like your pet fel hounds. Is that what you were to Sylvanas, a pet."

The Dread Lord leaned forward, his voice smooth and deceiving. "Look back on your life, Vanessa. The Light did not free you from slavery or help you gain control, it did not even grant you the mercy of death when you were but an infant. In fact, it stood by and did nothing, as you caused disaster after disaster. It is only here that you finally found the power and respect you deserve."

Vanessa felt the tug of his words, a voice inside of her screamed it was wrong, but the paladin paid no heed. It was as if there was a force gripping around her soul prodding Varimatheras' words on subtly. Not so subtle she couldn't feel it if she concentrated hard enough, but subtly so that she didn't try to block it away.

"Don't you see, Vanessa, this is where you belong…" The Dread Lords coaxing tone seemed to drone inside Vanessa head, and she nodded dumbly.

Inching nearer to the paladin, Varimatheras placed a hand on her shoulder in the other glinted a small sharp purple crystal. "Where you belong…"

The fel hounds beside her began to howl with the sensation of so much powerful magic about to be unleashed, jolting Vanessa out of her semi-hypnotic state.

The voice in Vanessa's head finally broke through screaming through her skull. Her arm shot up, to protect her heart, where Varimatheras was about to place the crystal.

Vanessa screamed as the touch of the soul shard burned away at the flesh on her arm before evaporating in a surge of holy power, leaving a raw red wound on her fore arm.

She fel backwards propelling her feet into the chest of Varimatheras, sending him crashing through pews.

The Dread Lord forced himself up heavily, wiping a line of blood from the corner of his mouth. His chest looked slightly sunken in from the blow, and there was a grimace on his face. "Impudent half-breed, you wont rally with the dark powers the actually WANT you, and those who follow the Light will never except you! You will never be good for anything except destruction!"

Vanessa could hear the heavy foot steps of other coming down the hall, more than likely Balnazzar and Tichondrious.

She couldn't stay here any longer, the war of Light and Darkness raging inside her had been a down right bloody thing ever since she had stepped foot in the Temple. It was just so much, Vanessa decided she couldn't do it anymore.

The two Dread Lords where just coming upon the scene as the demonic portal closed.

"No!" Balnazzar cried out, even taking a step forward before realizing it was a vain venture.

He turned to a wounded Varimatheras angrily. "What did you do?"

"I tried to steal her soul, using a modified soul shard" Varimatheras replied calmly. At the look of fury in his brother's face he chuckled. "You an I both know your methods were having no affect, I had to take a more aggressive approach. Besides, we cant really lose here, we're no better off than we were before, and spending all that time here, feeding her our vile nature, she wont dare to go near a hundred yards of civilization fearing another catastrophe."

Varimatheras' words were true, but the time an effort Balnazzar had put in to it still made him furious they had lost such a valuable asset.

"If you think about it, we still have another chance." Tichondrious, the most diplomatic of the trio, piped up making the others turn to him. "If mortals are foolish enough to push her away like that fool paladin who snuck in here, then perhaps that will drive her back to us. All we must do is be patient."

The other two smiled at their brother's wisdom, even laughing.

Patience.

Nobody was more patient than Nazrethem.

~8~8~

Vanessa stood on a hill over looking the Temple, it seemed everywhere she went nowadays ended up with her running away.

The Dread Lords words spoke truth into Vanessa's heart. From her horrid beginnings at the Scarlet Monastery, to this very moment. All she was and had been raised and trained for was destruction.

Turning away, she began to walk, having no clue where she was going, and wanting to end up in the middle of nowhere.

She had decided the moment she had stepped out of that demon portal the only good she could truly due for the world was cut herself off from it. Exile was the only option to her, someplace secluded she wouldn't cause trouble.

The howling of Taiga and Joruum from behind the paladin actually made her smirk. She had forgotten momentarily the two beast had followed her through her portal.

The two leapt on the Vanessa, and the paladin couldn't help but laugh as she fought to rise. The hounds seemed happier being from that place, and after a moment Vanessa decided she to felt a little happier as well.

Both demons tussled and played with one another barely keeping step as Vanessa made her way through the harsh land of the Shadowmoon Valley.

The paladin laughed at their antics even though inside her soul was torn in two. Looking at the rambunctious pair, Vanessa couldn't help but think some deity was still looking out for her and didn't want her completely miserable.

She amused herself with the thought perhaps one had taken pity on her.

Taiga and Joruum felt like a sign that she would never be truly alone, and for right now, that was all she needed.

Hell, it was all she had.


	14. Who You Be?

The Zangar Marsh was without a doubt the quietest, calmest place in outland. Huge mushrooms towered upward to the sky, their great caps, nearly blocking out the sun, and their toxins creating a blue color to the very air in which the traveler breathed.

While Zangar was the calmest place, it was also not with out its dangers. Naga still posed threats to adventurers even though after their plot to drain the great lakes had been foiled and their leader dead.

Broken, once Dranei, still clung to their festering little villages, killing all outsiders they spied, but mostly at war with other clans in the region.

Those two threats could not outshine the one major threat that diverted people from coming to the region or getting out of it as fast as possible. The marsh itself.

Wildlife, that thrived in the moist area were the dangerous part of the whole Marsh. Hydras, Sporebats, Eels, the elemental fungus giants that roamed about and much more. You name it, it could probably kill you an in the most horrific ways to boot.

But so far, Vanessa thought things weren't too terrible. Two weeks in 'exile' and the most she'd seen was a war party of Broken, headed to a Sporegar village and two Alliance soldiers headed out of the Marsh.

The place the paladin called home, was a small cave tucked away high on a ridge overlooking the biggest lake in Zangar. There was a larger cave beneath her own, one crawling with a tribe of elemental giants. After killing a few, the dull witted creatures they had readily decided she wasn't worth the trouble and left her be. Adventurers gave them a wide berth making her cave a perfect secluded place.

The paladin's days were filled with getting to know the lay of the Marsh, and hunting down food. Tracking through the marsh was easy, its near endless water ways where paths themselves.

The hunting…not so much.

It probably would have been easier had she been able to bring one of the fel hounds along, but the beasts usually ended up devouring the prey themselves, leaving Vanessa alone to track down her own meals as they did the same far, far away from her.

Vanessa nearly let out a cheer as she cornered a wounded Sporebat. The creature's bright blue skin had turned a dull pale hue, and it whimpered out in pain from a nasty shadow bolt it had taken on its wing, fluttering vainly to get away. Finally after hours of fruitless hunting, dinner was in sight!

Vanessa came forward quickly, unsheathing a skinning knife from her side. In one smooth motion, the beast stopped its whimpering, and flopping, its body prone and life-less.

Inwardly, the paladin was congratulating herself as she cleaned off the small knife it had taken a while but she had finally tracked and caught something!

Before she could make a move to pick up the creature, a wiry tentacle stretched out from above Vanessa, using small bristling hooks along the tentacle to grab the Sporebat. Vanessa turned around just in time to witness a towering Marsh Walker devour the Sporebat whole it body still visible through the Marsh Walkers translucent flesh before dissolving her dinner.

Her dinner!

The Marsh Walker, thinking it had scored another meal, sent its tentacles lashing out at the paladin. Her retribution aura kicked in immediately, frying the thin strands of tentacles to mere ash like particles drifting on the wind, and sending holy power rippling through the creature like a jolt of electricity.

The rest of its many stick like legs gave way and it tumble to the damp ground in an unceremonious heap.

Vanessa was upon the creature in milliseconds, taking out her rage. Her sword drawn, she hacked and slashed at the clear, fleshy, bulbous head mass sending its blue jelly like blood spraying in all directions, relieving her frustration only slightly.

After there was nothing left to chop into tiny pieces, Vanessa stood there breathing hard, and with every exhale a curse tacked along with it.

Disgusting, unidentifiable plant parts, seemed to be on the menu again tonight. Letting out a sharp whistle, she waited a few minuets before the fel hounds raced to her, their mouths coated with blood, more than likely from a Naga and red fur dripping with marsh water.

"Well, I hope you two enjoyed dinner." She commented dryly, and rolled her eyes, heading off towards the direction of home.

As if in reply the beasts shook themselves simultaneously drenching the paladin in blood and water.

Vanessa sighed, her voice laced thickly with agitation and sarcasm. "A perfect ending to a perfect day…"

Using her sleeve, she wiped the water from her face, an also asking herself aloud why she hadn't chosen some place dryer for exile.

A sprinting movement in the corner of her left eye caught her attention. Her hand reached for her sword as she turned to the direction where she had seen the movement. Immediately recognizing the situation, both fel hounds stood beside the paladin protectively, their fangs bared both emanating dangerous low growls from their throats. Claws clenched an unclenched the moist earth ready to spring into action.

"Whose there?" Vanessa asked in Common, her eyes never still as she scanned the undergrowth of the mushrooms.

"Whose there?" She asked again, this time in orcish.

Minuets ticked by and Vanessa didn't move an inch, using her hearing to listen for any rustling, and her sight to detect a single movement. More minuets ticked by, and still not a peculiar sound or move.

Sheathing her blade, Vanessa turned away to continue her grumbling about dinner. She never noticed the jade eyes that followed her as she walked past.

Vanessa was still alert as she walked back to the cave, but her hand was off her sword and her aura called to full strength.

"Now where was I? Oh yes, why in the Light's name did I picked this backwater, Naga infested, foul smelling, Death trap of a mar-."

The paladin ducked as something went flying inches by her head. Except for night, the marsh was constantly in a dusk type of light, so it was impossible to really identify what had flown past her. By the sheer feel of momentum that had brushed against her she could only guess it was a bat and a rather large one at that.

With something that big, flying so fast, it could have been running away, and if so, what from? Vanessa slowed her pace speaking quietly to the twin fel hounds. The pair dropped their pace providing cover for Vanessa who now earnestly wanted to get back to her cave. She hadn't been in the marsh long enough to know all the creatures that called it home.

It took the paladin twice as long to get back home as it normally would have. Twice she had doubled back, and called out challenge to no avail. As she wearily scaled the hidden trail to the cave, the grumbling of her stomach reminded her of the fel hounds growls. Even at this moment the thought of limp, foul, tasting, gummy plants shoots sounded good.

Vanessa slipped into the cave, her eyes immediately going for the satchel where she kept the unidentifiable plant parts only to find a very large cat sitting by a roaring fire.

The cat had long blue fur, that was covered in light green tattoos, ornaments of fangs and claws wrapped around his legs and two long tusk jutted out from its mouth. An outlandish Mohawk, also of blue, ran from the crest of his head nearly to its lower back. Its tail wrapped around one of the hind legs twitching.

"Hi dah." The cat greeted in the interim of Vanessa's shock, a hint of mischief in his voice.

Both fel hounds bayed angrily charging at the cat, only to have it switching into a very large bat, and fly out of the fel hounds reach. The bat barely dodged a chaos bolt from Vanessa who snarled angrily at the druid. "Who are you and what are you doing in my home!"

The druid flapped up safely out of Vanessa reach, wrapping its claws around a stalagmite, it folded its wing together, and cocked it head slightly to the side. "Slow ya roll dare, gel. I aint mean to frighten ya."

"I am not frightened." Vanessa replied almost childishly. Angry the druid was out of reach of her spells. Angry she had been taken off guard. Angry it had come into her home so easily. She was just angry about the whole situation.

Furious, she reached down picking up stone to throw at the druid.

"Who are you!" She asked again each Syllable accompanied by a rock that would fall pathetically out of range of the druid and land back down with an echoing clack.

"I tell ya if ya call dem dogs off." It shifted to a more comfortable position, determined not to leave.

"Taiga, Joruum!" Vanessa snapped pointing outside.

The twin demons knew it wasn't them she was angry with so readily complied, casting caustic glances at the druid hanging from the ceiling and slunk out into the night.

"Now tell me who you are." Vanessa crossed her arms fury seemingly sparkling off her in the fire light.

The druid unhooked himself from the stalagmite tumbling in a downward spiral to the rock below. At the last minute he pulled up, hovering inches from the ground. Immediately its form began to change from bat to a tall, blue Mohawked troll. He had piercing jade green eyes, and clan marks all working from his cheeks to the tusks. Blue skin was taut with slender muscles and scars. Dressed in earthy colored leather the clothes were a stark contrast to the blue.

The troll straightened fully, showing a few more inches of height, before going into a normal slightly hunched over position. He flashed Vanessa a huge tusky smile, before bowing lowly to her. " It not be who I be, but what I be, an I be a druid named Drel'jan tha Observer."

Vanessa's face twisted in confusion, was this troll insane? "What? That makes absolutely no sense, troll. Now get out of here."

The troll shrugged, squatting down near the fire. "Ya not very polite, gel, ya not even tell me what ya are. Mite wanna be workin' on ya manners dare." He had switched from orcish to common, but so angry Vanessa barely noticed.

Jaw and eyes, wide in disbelief, she didn't notice herself slipping into common as well. "Me being rude? You came into my home uninvited, crazy troll, you're lucky I haven't killed you yet!"

"Now why would ya be killin meh?" Drel'jan asked scratching the side of his large protruding nose.

"You truly are insane." Vanessa shook her head. "I am a human, troll, if you hadn't noticed, my kind usually kills you and your allies."

The troll let out a huge winded laugh, pointing a bony finger at Vanessa. "Are ya trying to trick meh? Ya aint wid da Alliance."

She was momentarily taken aback by his observation but masked her surprise by a glowering scowl. "I never said I was with the Alliance, but that doesn't mean I don't kill Horde."

Drel'jan shrugged, "Well, let meh tell ya what I observed. Ya speak orcish fa more fluent dan you do common, an even if ya weren't wid da Alliance, why would ya be staying in a cave instead of da Dranei town? Dey don't know ya aint wid dem, or do dey, Vanessa?"

The troll knew her by name, it had identified her immediately telling Vanessa he had either heard of her destructive exploits of had seen a wanted poster.

"Who sent you?" The paladin narrowed her eyes, raising her blade.

"Nobody." Drel'jan shook his head. "I was in Shattrath when A'dal was slain, gathering supplies before coming back here to Zabra'jin. It is only by accident I found ya here."

Vanessa laughed humorlessly, though pain flashed across her face. "If you came seeking revenge, even you are not crazy enough to know that will be a horrible one sided affair."

The troll cocked his head slightly to the side, remaining prone. "I ded not come here fo revenge. I be curious about ya."

The nerve!

Peace was all she wanted, away from critical, judging eyes, yet even here in one of the most remote place in Outland, still she was found. Vanessa was seriously considering dislodging the trolls head from his body, but fought the urge. " I am not a curiosity to gawk at, be on your way!"

"So be it, but I guess ya be missin' a good dinna then." Drel'jan shrugged rising slowly.

"Yea, so you just- wait." Vanessa stopped her angry rant registering the troll's words.

The troll cracked a sly grin patting a haversack by his side. "Bread, dried pork, a few cactus apples, an a flask of Eversong wine."

Vanessa was almost certain if she put a hand to her mouth there would be drool. Moving swiftly she covered the distance between her and the troll in three steps. Her blade easily placed under his throat.

"What makes you think, I wont kill you and take the food?" She pressed the blade a touch further letting a dribble of blood run down the blade.

"Ya is a paladin are ya not? Ya follow tha rules of chivalry, if ya didn't ya would a killed meh tha moment I flew down." Drel'jan gasped hollowly.

Vanessa kept the blade at his throat a moment more, before dropping it. She sheathed the sword grumbling. "How do you know so much?"

"Not dat I know, I just be tha Observer." He rubbed his neck sending a rejuvenation spell through his person.

Taking off the haversack he held it out to Vanessa. The paladin snatched the sack rummaging through it with a hungry vigor. "You can stay for dinner, then I am kicking you out."

"Okay." The troll replied happily. Resuming his squatting position. The druid tossed more branches upon the fire before shifting his gaze back to Vanessa.

"Now, what ya be?" He asked again staring in amusement as Vanessa practically ripped through the package of dried pork.

Before eating, Vanessa cast a cleanse spell over the food, having learned her lesson with Lita. When she was sure the food was safe she dug in like a starving wolf.

The troll sat back on his heels waiting patiently for a response. Through mouthfuls of bread and pork, Vanessa finally spoke.

"You don't ask people what they are, but who they are, stupid." She replied to him finally.

"Who ya are an what ya are be two very diffrant questions. I be mo interested in finding out what ya be right now." Drel'jan stared at her with his jade eyes, there was a simple curiosity there, nothing for cruel amusement, he just wanted to know.

There was no reason on Azeroth why she should tell this troll, whom she had just met, what she was, only one other person knew fully. She had a full right not to reveal anything about herself, but she did.

"My name is Vanessa, I am a paladin." She answered simply, knowing these were things he already knew.

She was hesitant to reveal anything else about herself. In her mind she had the ridiculous thought of telling the troll about her dark nature and him running out aghast to bring all of Zabra'jin to her cave hefting pitch forks and torches.

Given the little bit of information, Vanessa was certain the troll would attempt to pry more from her, but was surprised when he did not.

"Wid da powers of a warlock as well." He chuckled quietly. "Ya tink I forgot ya fired a chaos bolt at meh. Not to mention dat creepy crawly Libram I found by ya tings."

She flashed the troll a slight smile. "That didn't make you run off? You really must be insane."

"I almost ran off." He admitted bashfully, shuddering as the images of the book flashed through his mind. "But den I noticed da makeshift altar for da Light right next to it. Which brings meh to my next question, who ya be?"

Vanessa curled her fist in frustration. "Didn't I just tell you 'who I be'." She mimicked the trollish drawl.

"No, dat was what ya be, dis WHO ya be, pay attention, gel." Drel'jan scolded gently.

Before Vanessa could reply, the troll sighed, rising from beside the fire. He gathered his discarded knapsack, slinging it across his wide shoulders. "I be back in da mornin' wid more food. Maybe by den ya can tell meh who ya be."

"Don't come back." Vanessa growled, confused and agitated by the troll's insistent question.

Drel'jan turned to Vanessa flashing her a sly wink before transforming into a bat once more. Vanessa watched him gain altitude and disappear into the night, only half grateful he was gone.

The twin fel hounds raced to her in alarm lest she be hurt. Vanessa knelt down scratching them, and praising their ferocity. As she did so, the trolls question buzzed about her head.

_Who you be?_

She spat at the thought, she knew darn well who she was. Rising she turned back inside the cave, making ready for sleep.

Even though she was exhausted, sleep did not come easily for the paladin. For hours the trolls question ran through her mind. _Who you be…who you be…_

Nightmares of the few memories she had of the monastery reared their ugly heads, years spent in the Undercity, her brief time at Light's Hope, and the long two years she had learned to wield her dark powers.

Images of her life encircled Vanessa whirling faster and faster until she finally shot herself awake.

"Enough of this." She growled quietly, picking herself up from the cold cave floor.

Stumbling out into the warm night, Vanessa made her way down to one of the running water ways that led to Serpent Lake. Putting her head fully underwater, the cold brought her fully back to reality.

Gasping, she ran a hand through her now wet hair, getting her thoughts in order. Why did the troll's words persist so? She knew who she was, she was…she was?

For the first time in her life, Vanessa sat down to actually think upon the question. She had been a 'chosen one', slave, paladin in training, refugee, outcast, wanted woman, murderer. But that was what she was or had been, that didn't tell her who she was.

Looking down in the water, her reflection shone back with the same confusion. Frustrated at what should have been a simple question she slapped the water marring her visage.

A fist slammed into the moist earth and Vanessa spat out a curse. "By the Light why is this so hard! I should know!"

Tears came unbidden to her eyes, and she wiped at them angrily. Looking to the sky she grumbled under her breath. "Stupid troll."

She knew he wasn't to blame for her present conundrum, but at the moment cursing him was better than wadding in self pity.

~8~8~8~

As promised, at what could only be perceived as morning, a bat circled lower and lower toward Vanessa's cave.

Vanessa stood at the mouth of her cave looking into the lakes distance, her arms folded and a contemplative expression on her face. There were dark circles under her eyes, telling she hadn't slept well.

She didn't look at Drel'jan when he landed or transformed to his troll shape. As he neared her, Vanessa shook her head ever so slightly never turning her gaze. "I don't know." She admitted quietly finally answering his question.

The troll sighed placing a three fingered hand on Vanessa's shoulder. "Well, we be figurin' it out. Come on inside, I gots Hell boar bacon an Ravager eggs ready to be fried up."

As he shuffled inside, the Observer failed to notice Vanessa's eyes shift to him, a slight smile playing on her face.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked walking inside.

The troll was kneeling over the fire pit attempting to get it restarted and looked to the paladin. "I told ya last night, I be curious about ya, gel."

"So all this is to sate your curiosity?" She arched an eyebrow.

Drel'jan cast her a mischievous glance, breaking into a huge tusky grin. "Fo now."

~8~8~8~

_A/N: Trolls are my favorite race, but I've never written a story with one. Drel'jan is based on a druid I deleted. The dialogue was semi-difficult for me to write, any helpful criticism don't be hesitant to inform me on some troll critic. Tell me if I did the troll justice!_


	15. Finding Yourself

_A-N: Yes, I know it's been a while, writers block abounds, and stupid internet acting up. I can't say I totally approve of this chapter, but I've been playing around with it for a while, and thought this the best choice. This chapter leans on the more heavy side of 'T' rating._

Vanessa sighed in satisfaction as she stepped out of her blood and sweat soaked clothes. The days grime and dirt clinging to her form like a second skin. A stream going through a thick copse of mushroom made it the perfect place to wash and the paladin was in sore need of it today.

When Drel'jan promised to help her a month ago, she hadn't known how far he would go. He had begun to teach her the ways of something he called 'balance' to help stabilize the Light and darkness inside her. Vanessa knew he also had other motives for sticking around, to show her she was not the monster she thought she was. The Observer seemed to have taking pity on her trying to raise her hopes, but that didn't make it true, in fact, it was almost pathetic how he tried to show her what she knew she was never destined to be. About a week into it, however, Vanessa resigned herself to letting the druid learn the hard way: where ever she was, trouble usually followed.

The troll had her using her powers a lot more than she was comfortable with, scourging the marsh for feral creatures in hopes to practice on teaching her what he called the 'noble art'. And there were plenty feral creatures to be had. To Vanessa it appeared if she killed a marsh walker one day, by the next, another would take its place.

Her shoulders were sore from hacking at undergrowth and animals all day with her blade and her tongue clung to the roof of her mouth in thirst, the want of mana gnawing at her belly.

She rolled her shoulders gaining a sting of pain and grimaced trying to rub the soreness away. The water would be cold but it would numb most of the aches so she didn't mind much tonight.

What light the seven moons of Draenor did manage to peak through the caps of the mushrooms illuminated the stream so that it appeared akin to a sliver of moving moonlight. Taiga and Joruum were patrolling the copse to ensure no way ward traveler stumbled across her while bathing in the stream.

She slipped into the chilled water, numbing her hurts and bringing much relief from the humid day. The sound of the marsh hummed along the night in a peaceful way carrying with it Vanessa's trouble momentarily.

As she waded along to the deepest part of the stream a song came to her lips, one she hadn't sung for what felt like eternity. The Lament of the Highborn. The words came out clear and soft, drifting along the night air as she bathed. She wrung her onyx hair out while finishing the last notes drifting off quietly.

By happenstance she turned her eyes to the bank by her clothes to see Drel'jan sitting there his sea green gaze stapled on her, a hypnotized look on his cat features.

"Drel'jan!" Vanessa cried out surprised, lifting her hands up to cover herself as best she could.

The swift action caused Vanessa to slip on the stones beneath her feet, sending her tumbling back down in the water with a loud splash and ruining her peaceful moment.

Furious, see rose from the water to find the druid that was Drel'jan turned away from her.

"I be sorry, I came looking for ya, I didn't know ya was bathing." He explained quickly his voice sounding hoarse an embarrassed.

"That didn't mean you had to stay and watch!" Vanessa replied angrily as she dried herself with blazing speed, even now though he was turned away, not liking Drel'jan so close. It made her stomach feel like it was filled with butterflies.

"I didn't mean to stay but den I heard ya singing, and it felt like I stumbled into a dream. It was so sad, and yet beautiful. Lament of tha Highborn, I tink?"

"Yea…yea it was." The paladin replied quietly. Even though the water had been cold she felt her cheeks going hot with a blush.

"I nevah heard it sang so beautifully, where ya learn it?" He asked before stealing a look back to see if she was dressed.

"My mistress taught it to me when I was young." Vanessa replied kneeling down to lace up her boots.

Drel'jan turned fully to her, stretching lazily before giving himself a shake and sitting down his front paws crossed. "Dat's somting I been meaning to ask ya. Why don't I ever hear any bitterness or animosity about Sylvanas when ya speak of her?"

Vanessa shrugged folding the damp towel and draping it across her shoulder. "My mistress was always kind to me. I knew from experience there were far worse fates than being a slave. She did what she thought best, I hold no ill will towards her."

"Ya speak highly of someone who refused to grant ya your freedom." Drel'jan pointed out.

That little fact still stung in Vanessa, it made her wonder for all those years had Sylvanas been simply using her to gain absolute control so Vanessa would do her bidding with out question or hesitation. The paladin brushed the thought away as quickly as it came. "It's complicated." She sighed.

The druid laughed scratching behind his ear with a forepaw. "Complication only comes when people mix a bunch a little problems to make a great big one. Attack tha little problems an tha complication disappears."

Vanessa smirked as she began heading in the direction of home. "How many times have I told you, you don't make sense?"

"Many." Drel'jan chuckled getting up to walk alongside the paladin.

Before he could move Vanessa grabbed the druid by the scruff of his neck, and with one great fling heaved him into the water. "That's for watching me bathe!" She yelled out to the floundering cat.

The cat in Drel'jan hated water with a passion, and he tried to stay away from it when in his preferred form. Thoroughly shocked and distempered, Drel'jan ironically doggy paddled to shore yelling bloody murder to the paladin. "Ya just wait right dare, I ma get ya!"

Vanessa erupted into sweet laughter, something Drel'jan wished he heard a whole lot more. It made the rage inside of him vanish completely and caused his blood to hum.

Hiding a smile, the druid shook the water from his fur, leaping into a run after the paladin.

They arrived at the cave panting and laughing, both falling beside each other on the cold stone. Drel'jan shifted to his troll self sucking in deep gulps of air, his gaze shifting over Vanessa. She was smiling, something she rarely did, and laughing, something even rarer!

She turned to look at Drel'jan who has unwittingly gone into silence staring at her once more. The laughter died on her lips, and the cave seemed to be engulfed in awkwardness.

That look he was giving her, made feelings she felt for Darren come surging through her.

Darren. The very thought formed a lump in her throat; it reminded her of what had happened at Lights Hope. What she had caused.

Drel'jan brushed her cheek with his hand gently drawing close to her. Vanessa nearly, very nearly did the same. Instead she pushed him away leaping up. Back turned away she fought back tears.

The druid wiped his lips of the kiss that had never been, his voice quivering. "I-I sorry, I should have nevah…" His voice trailed off pathetically.

"Go away, Drel'jan, go away and never come back." Vanessa told him quietly wrapping her arms around herself.

Had all his work been for nothing, for one stupid mistake? Drel'jan was cursing himself inwardly, but spoke softly. "It wont evah happen again."

"Despite all you believe, Drel, I am a monster, I cause death and destruction, and..." Vanessa bit her bottom lip slightly to gather her emotions before speaking. "Every time I feel like my life is going right, or things could turn out for the better, catastrophe follows. That's why I am here in the first place. I am a magnet for disaster and anyone close will get pulled in with me. The last man I felt this way for ended up with a Death Knight's blade in his back for me. I don't want you to end up like that Drel."

"I would take tha risk." Drel'jan assured her gently, walking up behind her. "I would take any disaster in stride wid ya to my very last breath."

He wrapped his lanky arms around her and although he was cold and damp, Vanessa did not push him away. She wanted to fight him away, to save him from herself, all her senses told her he would end up like Darren, or A'dal.

"Tha world sees ya as a monster; it's who ya are to dem. But I knows the truth, so do a few others, tha question be who _you_ tink ya are."

"Who I be." Vanessa chuckled humorlessly at the ever nagging question. "I am a poor pupil, Drel, after all you've taught me, to search deep within myself for the answers I seek. I am afraid I still don't know. And I don't think I ever will. I am just…Vanessa."

Drel'jan wrapped her more comfortably in his arms, sighing to hide a smile. "And dat's all ya can be."

"What?" The soft tone of confusion breaking through Vanessa's despair.

"It's all ya can be." Drel'jan repeated shrugging. "I can only be Drel'jan as you can only be Vanessa. All your insecurities, strengths, powers, make ya who you be."

Why did his lessons sneak up on her so suddenly, it had become an irritating pattern but now, with the revelation, Vanessa hardly cared. The paladin thought his words over for a moment, he never made much sense but this…this the realization became crystal clear. "For once that actually makes sense." She smiled broadly.

Her smile faded instantly, another thought suddenly entering her head. "It doesn't change anything though."

She would still be an outcast, shunned by her fellow paladins and all who followed the Light. Still a wanted woman by the Horde and Alliance, still next in line for the Gilnean crown, and still a demon's daughter.

"It seldom does." Drel'jan agreed with a sad nod.

His arms were still comfortably wrapped around her, and Vanessa wondered why she didn't feel alarmed or discomforted in the least. Drel'jan was annoying, confusing, and could make her angry faster than anyone she'd ever known. But still to have him so close it…dredged unfamiliar feelings up foreign ones she hadn't ever felt before.

The druid was a head taller than Vanessa, and when she tilted her head up to him, the Observer could read her face like a book. He neared closer to her slightly curved mouth, seemingly on instinct and this time she did not move away.

~8~8~8~

The first thing that woke Vanessa was a loud rumbling. Her eyes fluttered open sleep still fogging her senses. The warmth of another beside her made her want to slip back into slumber but she fought the urge. Instead she curled closer to the heat source allowing herself a selfish few minutes to enjoy the gray dawn beside the raucously snoring troll. His body curved to her protectively his Mohawk ruffled crazily. These were the best moments in the quiet dawn along side the druid, for a few minuets all was right with the world.

The rumbling began again, and Vanessa laughed, realizing it was the troll's stomach. After a moment, the paladin recognized she to was hungry, and mischievously shoved Drel'jan awake. "Rise and shine you bottomless pit, your stomach woke me."

Drel'jan opened his eyes slightly flashing her a sleepy grin. "Didn't ya know meh bear aspect be housed in meh stomach."

"Well we better feed it before is decides it wants me on the menu." She planted a kiss on his forehead before crawling off the bed roll.

Before she could rise, the troll wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back down, laughing. "What be ya hurry, tha sun aint even up yet!"

She adopted a false frown, her tone holding mock scolding. "We cant lay about in bed all day, Drel, you're eventually going to get on my nerves, and then I'll have to kill you."

"Ah, so we can't stay in dis bed fo tha rest of our lives, but ya tink ya can stay in dis cave forevah?" He had turned serious, arching an eyebrow and releasing her from his grasp.

Her false frown faded into a real one and she rose sharply. "What do you want me to do, Drel, waltz up into Shattrath, and say 'hi, I am really sorry for killing one of the purest beings of the Light, so we're good now, right?' No, I am a monster to them."

"And I suppose holing ya self up in a cave in tha middle of nowhere, like a real monster would do, is helpin' to change their minds." Drel'jan replied, still prone on the sleeping cot.

It irked Vanessa how the druid could be in an argument and still so calm. Her previous playful mood vanished replaced by wanting to punch him in his grinning face. She crossed her arms to resist the urge. "People will believe what they want to, me going back into the world wont change anything."

"So ya say." He replied slyly before turning over to go back to sleep.

"Lazy, stupid druid," Vanessa grumbled, stomping out into the morning to take her rage out on something she didn't care about.

The druid watched her leave from a corner of his eye and chuckled, her rages were cute. After a few moments, he shifted from the bed, grabbing his knapsack in the process. Drel'jan stretched as he walked into the open, his joints popping as they did so. He stifled a yawn, and smiled when watching Vanessa speak with her two fel hounds scratching their red fur and letting them jump about her.

Vanessa must have felt his eyes on her, for she looked up, still angry but less so.

"I be headed to Zabra'jin, I aint reported in, in a while, I be back by noon." With that he slung the sack over his shoulders transforming into a bat.

Vanessa grunted, headed in the opposite direction. "I hope you get eaten by a Sporebat!" She called back to him.

"I loves ya to." Vanessa heard the druid reply faintly and couldn't help but smile.

Drel'jan came back in less than an hour, and Vanessa could tell by his hurried flapping, something was wrong. The druid didn't circle around to land like he usually did, but changed mid way into the air, turning his drop into a forward roll to take his momentum and stood right in front of Vanessa, his breathing ragged.

"What's wrong?" She asked alarmed, her eyes looking behind Drel'jan as if something had been following him, by the way he had been flying he looked like a bat out of hell.

After a few deep, deep breaths he spoke. "All champions not in active duty elsewhere are to report to tha base of Hyjal as soon as possible."

"Hyjal?" Vanessa brows furrowed in confusion. "Didn't the druids reclaim that land, months ago?"

Drel'jan ran a hand through his blue Mohawk nodding. "Dey did, but an old terror has resurfaced, a denizen of fire we thought long ago vanquished. Ragnaros has returned and he leads tha forces of the Fire Lands to march upon Hyjal. Vanessa if Deathwing could summon upon an old god as easily as he has done, how powerful must he be!"

Vanessa had never seen Drel'jan look as such, he appeared disheveled and crazed but continued. "I owe meh allegiance to both tha Horde and tha Cenarion Circle, my own father fought upon Hyjal those long years ago. Vanessa I…"

Before he could continue, she turned away walking back to the cave. "Wait, Vanessa." He called, following her.

The druid walked into the cave right behind her as she knelt down by the fire pit to scrape the ashes away. He looked at her, feeling very guilty swallowing a lump in his throat. "Vanessa…"

"When are your leaving?" She asked quietly to hide the choke of tears.

"Tomorrow mornin'." He knelt beside her to place a hand on her shoulder.

The paladin knocked him away moving once more. "Don't let me keep you, Drel, you've got to get things sorted out before you go."

She knew Drel'jan would never stay forever, Vanessa had arrived at that the first week he had actually been with her. The paladin hadn't truly thought the end would come so soon. Not after she'd learned to…hate him less.

"Ya could come wid meh." The troll offered.

She shook her head. "You know I wont Drel. Just my luck, I'll probably hurt rather than help."

"Ya must do somting, Vanessa!" He cried out in frustration.

It was the first time she had ever heard the druid raise his voice and turned to him.

"Good men an women be dying, running toward enemies dey cant defeat. Enemies dat would fall into ash at ya power. Yet ya cant, because of tha one big enemy right here. YOU. Don't go to Hyjal, but try to make difference somewhere. Ya do more harm den good by doing nothing."

"Shut up, you stupid troll, you don't know anything about me, the fear of knowing every time I use my powers, innocence could end up dead and that every time they do a little part of me enjoys it, and my father is somewhere smiling at the carnage I create! That blood is on my head, not yours or anyone else's, mine!" She was screaming right back at him, her fist curled so tightly, it looked like nothing would ever be able to pry them apart.

Drel'jan calmed suddenly, straightening to full height, before taking a deep breath. "It's time to do something, Vanessa. Stop hidin'" With those words he departed, leaving the paladin feeling drained and alone.

She wiped at the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks, anger burning away the grief she was feeling for the druid.

Morning came heavily overcast, and humid mirroring Vanessa's emotions. She stayed tucked in the cave repeating the argument over in her head. Drel'jan hadn't shown up to say good bye, she knew, for she hadn't slept all that night, but had lain in bed awake, having to much pride to pace and see if he returned even though she desired to do so.

Even though the clouds and mushrooms blotted out the sun, Vanessa could tell it was late, which meant he was probably already back on Azeroth.

"Good riddance," She grumbled, closing her eyes tightly. She had refused to cry, over the troll, she was stronger than that.

Holding back a sigh, she stood slowly walking out into the damp. In the door way a brown wrapped item lay right in the center, where Vanessa had almost tripped over it. Kneeling down she unwrapped it slowly, knowing it was from Drel'jan. She gasped at the sight of his most prized possession. A small circular idol colored blue, an engraved with a paw, noting his hard won rank as a druid of the claw.

Vanessa didn't even know she was crying until she noticed a tear splash on the idol. Not even here and the druid still knew how to shake her emotions. Placing the idol around her neck, she somehow felt closer to Drel'jan even though he was a world away.

Maybe he was right, maybe it was time to do something. She still didn't think she belonged upon the mountains of Hyjal. No the memories of A'dal were still fresh, that she had no doubt. But it was time to do something, and maybe, just maybe, she pondered, quickly warming to the idea, it was time to go home.


End file.
